🔗 Share this article Hardline Ex- Legislator José Antonio Kast Voted In as Chile's New President. After a definitive final ballot, ultra-conservative figure José Antonio Kast has secured the presidential office in Chile. A Clear-Cut Triumph With more than 99% of votes tallied, Kast secured 58.17% of the ballots, defeating leftist contender Jeannette Jara, who earned 41.83%. This marks Kast's third bid for the presidency, having earlier been defeated by the current president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff. Campaign Focused On Law and Order and Immigration Known for his unwavering Catholic views and praise for the period of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was largely built on promises to combat rising crime and radically curb migration. He repeatedly pointed to migrants, especially the roughly 330,000 undocumented individuals in Chile, for security issues. During the campaign, he delivered an final demand for them to leave before the inauguration or face removal. His proposals envisioned U.S.-style measures such as constructing holding facilities, border walls, perimeter fencing, and increasing the armed forces presence on the northernmost border. Part of a Continental Wave Numerous commentators view Kast's victory as fitting into a larger conservative shift in Latin America, following recent electoral wins in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. Nevertheless, other experts also frame it as a extension of the regular alternation of power between left and right-wing leadership since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990. Ruling Lacking a Strong Mandate Despite his decisive popular vote triumph, Kast will not hold an overall majority in Congress, neither in the lower house or the Senate, even if various conservative parties are counted together. This legislative landscape might complicate his plans, such as a vow to reduce public spending by billions within a year and a half—a plan for which he has not provided a clear explanation. "We have many aspects about what a Kast presidency will look like that we don't know because he has not explained the way he will implement them," commented a political science professor. The expert continued, "Regarding fiscal matters, it is very likely we will see austerity policies associated with the right. However the area with considerably less uncertainty is on public safety, because that has been his flagship issue throughout the race."