Far-Right Candidate José Antonio Kast Wins Chile Presidential Election
Republican Party chief defeats centre-left candidate Jeannette Jara in runoff, ending Boric-era governance
SANTIAGO, Dec 15: Far right candidate José Antonio Kast has won Chile’s presidential runoff, becoming the country’s 38th president and bringing an end to the centre left government, according to Al Jazeera.
Preliminary results released on Sunday showed Kast defeating former Labour Minister Jeannette Jara, a Communist Party leader who represented the ruling centre left coalition, Unity for Chile. Jara and her coalition conceded defeat shortly after polling closed.
In a message posted on X, Jara acknowledged the result and said her supporters would continue working for the country’s future. “Democracy spoke loud and clear. I just communicated with the President-elect, José Antonio Kast, to wish him success for the good of Chile,” she wrote, adding that her movement would continue striving for a better life for Chileans.
Kast’s victory marks another electoral success for the far right in Latin America, where conservative leaders have gained ground in recent years in countries such as Argentina and Ecuador, Al Jazeera reported.
At 59, Kast leads Chile’s Republican Party and secured the presidency on his third attempt. He had lost the 2021 presidential election to outgoing President Gabriel Boric by nearly 10 percentage points. Boric, Chile’s youngest-ever president, saw his approval ratings fall to around 30 per cent toward the end of his term and was constitutionally barred from seeking re-election.
Analysts cited voter frustration over rising crime, illegal immigration and a slowing economy as key factors behind Kast’s win. During his campaign, Kast pledged strict security measures, including mass deportations, tougher sentencing laws and isolating cartel leaders in high-security prisons under what he called the “Implacable Plan”.
Kast has also taken hardline positions on social and health issues, including opposing abortion even in cases of rape. His political stance has drawn criticism, particularly due to his past praise for former military ruler Augusto Pinochet, who governed Chile from 1973 to 1990 following a coup.
“If he were alive, he would vote for me,” Kast said of Pinochet, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
The president-elect’s family background has also come under scrutiny, with reports noting that his father, Michael Martin Kast, was a former Nazi Party member who migrated to Chile in 1950.
An Al Jazeera correspondent said Kast’s victory represents a historic moment for Chile’s far right, marking the first conservative government since the country’s return to democracy in 1990. While Kast moderated parts of his platform during the campaign to broaden voter appeal, questions remain over how closely his presidency will align with Pinochet-era policies.
