🔗 Share this article Hardline Former Lawmaker José Antonio Kast Elected as Chile Next President. Following a conclusive final ballot, far-right politician José Antonio Kast has secured the presidency in Chile. A Clear-Cut Victory With over 99% of votes tallied, Kast secured 58.17% of the votes, overcoming leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%. This signifies Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having previously been defeated by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 second round. Agenda Focused On Law and Order and Immigration Recognized for his strong socially conservative views and admiration for the era of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was largely centered on promises to tackle rising insecurity and radically restrict immigration. He repeatedly pointed to foreigners, particularly the around 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for security issues. Throughout the election cycle, he issued an final demand for them to leave before the inauguration or face removal. His proposals featured U.S.-style measures such as erecting camps, high walls, electric fences, and bolstering the army presence on the northern frontier. Part of a Regional Shift Numerous analysts view Kast's success as fitting into a broader conservative wave in Latin America, coming after recent political wins in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. Yet, other pundits also view it as a part of the established swing of power between left-wing and right leadership since Chile's return to democracy in 1990. Ruling Without a Clear Majority In spite of his decisive electoral victory, Kast is not expected to hold an absolute majority in the legislature, not in the lower house nor the Senate, even if all right-leaning parties are grouped together. This political situation could challenge his agenda, including a vow to reduce public spending by $6 billion within a year and a half—a plan for which he has not offered concrete steps. "We have numerous aspects about what a Kast administration will be that we don't know because he has not explained how he will do them," noted a political science analyst. The professor added, "Regarding the economy, it is highly probable we will see adjustment measures typical of the right-wing. But where there is much less ambiguity is on public safety, because that has been his workhorse across the campaign."