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Kast Chile runoff victory marks a sharp right turn as José Antonio Kast wins with 58% of the vote
The Kast Chile runoff victory marks a decisive political shift in the South American country. Ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast won the presidential election by defeating left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara with around 58 per cent of the vote, confirming voters’ demand for change after years of instability.
Throughout the campaign, Kast — frequently described by his opponents as “Pinochet without a uniform” — pledged a hard-line approach on crime and immigration. His promises included the expulsion of more than 300,000 undocumented migrants, the sealing of Chile’s northern border and tougher measures against soaring criminal violence, alongside plans to revive a sluggish economy.
“Chile wanted change,” Kast told thousands of cheering supporters in Santiago, vowing to “restore respect for the rule of law” and promising to govern for all Chileans. Celebrations broke out across the capital, with flags waved, car horns blaring and chants praising former dictator Augusto Pinochet, whose legacy Kast has repeatedly defended.
Once considered one of Latin America’s safest countries, Chile has been shaken in recent years by the Covid-19 pandemic, violent social protests and the growing presence of organised foreign criminal groups. According to opinion polls, more than 60 per cent of voters now see public security as the country’s most urgent problem.
The Kast Chile runoff victory also fits into a broader trend of right-wing electoral gains across Latin America, following recent results in Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras, El Salvador and Ecuador. Shortly after polls closed, Jara phoned Kast to concede defeat, saying voters had delivered a “clear and strong message”. Congratulations soon followed from figures including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Argentine President Javier Milei.
Despite the decisive result, Kast’s presidency raises concerns among critics. He holds strongly conservative views on social issues, including abortion, which he opposes even in cases of rape. His stance has revived fears that his government could attempt to soften or rewrite the historical record of the Pinochet dictatorship, which tortured and imprisoned tens of thousands of people.
Pinochet left power in 1990 after Chileans rejected an extension of his 17-year rule in a referendum. At the time, Kast actively campaigned in his favour. Questions have also been raised about Kast’s family history, although the president-elect has denied any ideological ties to Nazism, stating that his father was forcibly conscripted during the Second World War.
For Jara, her role as labour minister under outgoing left-wing president Gabriel Boric proved a liability. Boric’s biggest failure was the collapse of efforts to replace the Pinochet-era constitution. Since 2010, Chile has alternated between left- and right-wing governments. Kast is due to take office in March.
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