🔗 Share this article Ultra-Conservative Ex- Legislator J.A. Kast Elected as Chile's New Head of State. After a definitive runoff election, hardline candidate José Antonio Kast has won the presidency in Chile. A Commanding Win With over 99% of votes tallied, Kast garnered 58.17% of the ballots, defeating leftist former minister Jeannette Jara, who received 41.83%. This represents Kast's third presidency, having earlier been defeated by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 final vote. Campaign Built On Security and Migration Recognized for his strong socially conservative views and admiration for the period of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's electoral bid was largely built on promises to combat growing crime and significantly curb immigration. He repeatedly blamed foreigners, notably the around 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for crime rates. Throughout the race, he delivered an final demand for them to leave before the new term begins or face deportation. His proposals included U.S.-style measures such as building camps, border walls, security fences, and strengthening the army presence on the northernmost border. Within a Broader Shift Many commentators see Kast's victory as fitting into a larger rightward wave in South America, coming after this year's political results in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. Yet, other analysts further frame it as a continuation of the established swing of power between left and right-wing governments since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990. Leading Lacking a Strong Majority In spite of his clear popular vote triumph, Kast will not hold an overall majority in the legislature, neither in the Chamber of Deputies nor the Senate, even when various rightwing parties are counted together. This legislative situation may challenge his policy goals, such as a vow to reduce public spending by billions within a year and a half—a measure for which he has not offered specifics. "There are numerous aspects about what a Kast administration will be that remain unclear because he has not said how he will achieve them," commented a political science analyst. The expert stated, "In terms of fiscal matters, it is almost certain we will see spending cuts common for the right-wing. However the area with considerably less ambiguity is on security policy, because that has been his central theme throughout the campaign."