Chile has decisively elected far-right candidate José Antonio Kast as its next president, marking the country's most significant political shift to the right since the end of military rule in 1990. Kast secured a commanding victory with more than 58% of the vote, defeating left-wing coalition candidate Jeanette Jara in a runoff election dominated by debates over security, crime, and immigration.
A Campaign Defined by Law and Order
The election campaign saw Kast consistently portray Chile as a nation descending into chaos. He pledged a fierce crackdown on crime and irregular immigration, promising to restore order. In his victory speech to jubilant supporters in Santiago, many draped in Chilean flags, Kast declared, “Chile will once again be free from crime, free from anguish, free from fear.” He issued a stark warning to criminals, vowing, “We’re going to look for them, find them, judge them and then we’re going to lock them up.”
His policy proposals include building a border wall on Chile's frontiers with Peru and Bolivia, constructing maximum-security prisons, and carrying out mass deportations of undocumented migrants, many of whom are from Venezuela. Kast, an admirer of former US President Donald Trump, has also pledged sharp government spending cuts and a free-market economic approach.
Voter Sentiment and Historical Echoes
For many voters, the perception of growing insecurity was the primary motivation. “We are transforming into Colombia, a lot of terrorism, thieves, robbery, society is very unsafe,” said voter Max Struber. Another supporter, Augustina Trancoso, wearing a red "Make Chile Great Again" cap, expressed hope for recovering the country's "security and patriotism."
Kast's victory brings Chile's far-right past into sharp focus. He has openly praised former dictator Augusto Pinochet, whose 17-year regime was marked by severe human rights abuses. Kast's brother served as a minister under Pinochet, and his father was a member of the Nazi party. Some supporters, like Struber, acknowledged the regime's brutality but argued, “as a government it was good, we used to have peace and tranquility.”
Criticism and Regional Trend
Critics argue that Kast has exaggerated Chile's security problems. While the country has seen a rise in immigration and organized crime, it remains one of South America's safest and most stable nations. The murder rate is currently falling, and studies suggest immigrants commit fewer crimes on average. Voter Javiera Carrasco noted feeling “like a false sense of insecurity is becoming widespread.”
Kast's rival, Communist Party member Jeannette Jara, conceded defeat, posting that “democracy has spoken loud and clear” and wishing Kast success. Her supporters fear a return to Chile's authoritarian past. Ricardo Herrera, who lived through Pinochet's rule, called it “brutal.”
This election, where voting was mandatory, left some citizens choosing the “least-worst” option. Claudio Sanjuez stated, “I don’t know if I’d say the lesser of two evils, but I think Chile needs a change.” Kast's win aligns with a broader rightward shift in Latin America, following elections in Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. He is set to be inaugurated on 11 March 2026, and has already warned undocumented immigrants to leave before that date if they wish to return legally.
