DiDi’s Santiago Pitch: Evidence First, Not ‘Analog’ Handcuffs
Antonio Canale-Mayet, director of corporate affairs at ride-hailing giant DiDi, used the stage of the Digital Summit 2026 in Santiago to deliver a pointed message to Chilean regulators. With the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT) preparing to re-submit the implementing decree for the country’s so-called Ley Uber after an earlier version was struck down by the Comptroller in June, Canale-Mayet warned that copying rules from the traditional taxi world onto digital platforms would “close the door to the vast majority to preserve prior particular interests.”
The backdrop is a regulatory draft that originally sought to relax certain requirements for app-based drivers—including the obligatory professional license—while keeping others such as vehicle age and engine size flexible. That first attempt was rejected by Comptroller Dorothy Pérez on the grounds that it lacked factual, technical and legal basis. Now, as the MTT works on a revised version, DiDi is making its case that any new rules must reflect the actual functioning of two-sided mobility platforms, not legacy transport models.
Canale-Mayet argued that ride-hailing platforms have become a “genuine social protection net” amid Chile’s unemployment rate above 9%, creating income elasticity and offering immediate access to formal earnings with social security contributions. “That is, in practice, real formalization and financial inclusion for those who currently don’t have it,” he said. He called for a “proportional, digital and collaborative” regulatory model, insisting that “we are not traditional transport, we do not compete against mobility infrastructure but complement it.”
The DiDi executive’s remarks land during a tense period: taxi driver unions have repeatedly protested what they see as an uneven playing field, and the MTT under Minister De Grange must balance the demands of traditional operators with the evident popularity and economic footprint of platforms like DiDi, Uber and Cabify.
Inside the Regulatory Fight Shaping Chile’s Ride-Hailing Market
DiDi’s Strategy: Position as a Social and Economic Lifeline
Canale-Mayet’s language is carefully calibrated. By framing ride-hailing as a source of formalization and fiscal contribution—not just gig work—DiDi is attempting to shift the regulatory debate away from safety and licensing detail toward the broader socio-economic value of the platform. The assertion that the industry is a “social protection net” is an attempt to undercut arguments that platforms evade labor obligations; instead, DiDi positions itself as a creator of formal, tax-contributing micro-enterprises.
This aligns with the company’s global playbook: emphasize flexibility, high driver uptake, and the economic activity generated. In Chile, where unemployment remains stubbornly above 9%, that message resonates with policymakers searching for formalization pathways.
The Government’s Tightrope: Balancing Safety, Competition and Jobs
The MTT’s challenge is acute. The Comptroller’s rejection forced the ministry to provide stronger technical justification for any flexibilities it grants. Yet the loud taxi lobby—which sees any relaxation of vehicle or license requirements as an existential threat—has already demonstrated its ability to stage disruptive protests. The government must either stand firm on the need to adapt rules to the digital reality, or risk delivering a decree that re-imposes enough friction to cap platform growth. Either choice will be read as a signal to investors, drivers and voters.
Competitive Dynamics: A Loose Decree Would Favor All Platforms Equally
While DiDi is the visible voice at this summit, Uber and Cabify face the identical regulatory landscape. The rules under discussion apply to all ride-hailing operators, so company-specific lobbying benefits the entire segment. A decree that eases driver supply constraints will lower wait times and fares for passengers, potentially expanding the market. Conversely, rigid rules that shrink the driver pool would push prices up and slow adoption, a scenario that could benefit regulated taxis but hurt platform valuations and expansion plans.
What the Decree’s Rewrite Means for Platforms, Drivers and Passengers
For DiDi and its competitors: The coming weeks will be critical for engagement with the MTT. The revised decree must be supported by fresh data—on driver earnings, formalization rates, and safety records—to survive another Comptroller review. Allocating technical resources now to build an evidence dossier is a near-term priority.
For current and prospective drivers: The decree will determine whether the professional license requirement is maintained or relaxed. Anyone considering working for a platform should monitor the MTT’s communications, as a retained license obligation narrows the eligible driver base and could depress sign-up bonuses and per-trip earnings if demand outpaces supply.
For passengers: A decree that reduces friction for drivers typically translates into shorter waiting times and more price competition. If the final text retains strict vehicle age or cylinder capacity limits, expect urban availability to remain concentrated in newer fleets, potentially raising fares during peak hours.
For the MTT: The credibility cost of a second Comptroller rejection would be significant. Officials are likely to consult more intensively with both platform operators and technical advisory bodies this time, extending the timeline but aiming for a defensible legal outcome.
Risk & Opportunity Assessment
| Commercial Risk | High | If the new decree imposes restrictive driver eligibility rules (e.g., maintaining the professional license requirement), DiDi’s driver base could shrink, undermining service levels and revenue growth in a market where unemployment already adds pressure. |
| Competitive Risk | Medium | Rules that favor incumbents or impose symmetrical costs affect all platforms similarly, but a fragmented regulatory response across regions could create uneven competitive terrain. Traditional taxi operators remain the primary lobbying force for strict rules, which could limit platform expansion. |
| Regulatory Risk | High | The decree is under active revision after a direct Comptroller rejection; a second negative ruling would prolong legal uncertainty and potentially freeze platform operations while the government seeks new legislative alternatives. |
| Reputation Risk | Medium | DiDi’s public framing as a 'social protection net' could backfire if labor critics highlight earnings volatility or if the company is later seen as resisting legitimate safety standards. The taxi union narrative could gain traction if the decree appears to unduly favor platforms. |
| Technology Disruption | Low | The current dispute concerns regulatory classification, not technological upheaval. Ride-hailing platforms are well established; the risk is that the rules create operational drag rather than enable a new mobility model. |
| Commercial Opportunity | High | A decree that embraces Canale-Mayet’s call for a ‘proportional, digital’ model would lock in a lighter regulatory footprint, expanding the addressable driver pool and potentially accelerating DiDi’s growth in underserved Chilean cities. |
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