CHAPTER I The State, Government and Sovereignty
Article 1
The State of Chile is unitary. Its government is republican and representatively democratic.
Article 2
The sovereignty is vested intrinsically in the nation, which delegates the exercise thereof to the authorities that this Constitution establishes.
Article 3
No person or assembly of persons has authority to arrogate the title or representation of the people, to usurp its rights, nor to make demands in its name. Violation of this article is sedition.
Article 4
No magistracy, nor person, nor assembly of persons, not even under the pretext of extraordinary circumstances, is empowered to assume any other authority or rights than those that may have been expressly conferred upon them by the laws. Every act in contravention of this article is void.
CHAPTER II. Nationality and Citizenship
Article 5
Chileans are:
- Those born in the territory of Chile; excepting the children of foreigners who may happen to be in Chile in the service of their government and the children of transient foreigners, all of whom shall be empowered to choose between the nationality of their parents and that of Chile.
- The children of Chilean father or mother, born in foreign territory, by the sole act of becoming resident in Chile. The children of Chileans born abroad, the father or mother being at that time in the service of the republic, are Chileans even for those purposes wherein the fundamental, or any other laws, may require birth within Chilean territory.
- Foreigners who may obtain letters of naturalization in conformity to law, upon express renunciation of their former nationality.
- Those who have obtained a special grant of naturalization by law.Naturalized persons will have the right to hold public office by popular election, only after five years of being in possession of letters of naturalization.
The law will prescribe the procedure for choosing between Chilean and foreign nationality, for the granting, denial or cancellation of letters of naturalization, and for the keeping of a register of all these proceedings.
Article 6
Chilean nationality is lost:
- Bv naturalization in a foreign country.
- By cancellation of the letters of naturalization.
- By lending aid during war to the enemies of Chile or of her allies.
Those who may have lost Chilean nationality for any of the reasons set out in this article cannot be rehabilitated except by law.
Article 7
Chileans who may have attained twenty-one years of age, who know how to read and write, and are inscribed in the electoral registers are citizens with the right of suffrage.
These registers are open to public inspection and are valid for such time as the law may determine.
Inscriptions will be permanent and be suspended only for the periods as by law indicated.
In popular elections voting shall always be by secret ballot.
Article 8
The exercise of the right of suffrage is suspended:
- For physical or mental incapacity that may interfere with free and deliberative action.
- When the citizen shall be under indictment for an offense punishable corporally.
Article 9
The status of citizen with right of suffrage is lost:
- For having lost Chilean nationality.
- Through condemnation to corporal punishment. Those who on this account may have lost the status of citizenship may petition for rehabilitation by the Senate.
