Far-Right Candidate José Antonio Kast Wins Chile Presidential Election

José Antonio Kast, a far-right conservative politician, took home the win in Chile's presidential election amid a slew of concerns regarding safety and immigration.

Kast won the election with a staggering 58.2% of the vote, while his communist opponent Jeanette Jara received the other 41.8%

Kast is expected to take a similar stance on issues to US President Donald Trump, who has initiated major crackdowns on drugs and illegal immigration. He has established ideas to build a wall along Chile's northern border and deport illegal immigrants, and many of his supporters have adopted the slogan 'Make Chile Great Again.' He also plans to construct more maximum-security prisons to hold more criminals and ramp up arrests.

He has also promised to revive Chile's economy, which has maintained stability and remains high-income but has seen minimal growth in recent years. Using his connections to Trump, he is expected to re-establish a strong relationship with the US that could allow him to revitalize Chile's economic sector.

Nevertheless, Kast does not have a majority in either house of the Chilean Congress, requiring him to make agreements with other parties to pass new laws. This will likely force him to shift his policies closer to those of a centrist, but with the right strategy, he could significantly advance the situation in Chile.

His election comes during the term of incumbent President Gabriel Boric, whose left-wing, more liberal administration has caused discontent and anger among the Chilean people. Homicides increased over 50% in 2024 when compared to 2018, and over 63% of Chileans consider violence and crime as their primary concern, according to a report by IPSOS.

Meanwhile, the drug trade and illegal immigration are also major issues, with many refugees from other countries like Venezuela arriving in Chile for safety. Kast, though, has instructed all illegal immigrants to leave the country before March– once he assumes office, deportations will begin, and they will not be allowed to bring any belongings.

However, this has created a tense situation at the Chilean border with Peru, where an influx of illegal immigrants has triggered a state of emergency. Local police are already reporting drops in numbers of immigrants crossing the border.

As a whole, Chile's shift is yet another example of a Latin American country moving towards the right, with many presidents hoping to echo the policies of Donald Trump. Argentina and Bolivia have already elected far-right presidents with close ties and similar stances to Trump, and all three presidents hope to address the same issues: safety, immigration, and bolstering their respective economies.

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