SANTIAGO — Chile moved sharply to the right after José Antonio Kast, leader of the Republican Party, won the presidential runoff in a campaign dominated by concerns about crime, migration and economic uncertainty.
With more than 99% of ballots counted, Kast took roughly 58% of the vote. His opponent, Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, who garnered just over 41%, conceded and wrote on social media that “democracy spoke loud and clear.” Outgoing President Gabriel Boric phoned Kast to offer his congratulations.
As the result was confirmed, car horns blared and crowds waving Chilean flags filled one of Santiago’s wealthiest neighborhoods to hear the president-elect speak. “We will work relentlessly to restore peace, order, growth, and hope,” Kast said, vowing to be “the president of all Chileans” and promising to free the country from crime and fear.
Kast, 59, a devout Catholic and father of nine, ran primarily on a platform of tighter public security and stricter immigration controls, calling the situation in Chile a “crisis” and pledging an “emergency” government. His message resonated with voters alarmed by a recent rise in violent crime and by growing concerns about undocumented migration.
A vocal admirer of former dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast will be the first president since Chile returned to democracy in 1990 to openly praise the military regime. His family background has drawn attention: his father, Michael Kast, fought in the German army during World War II and has been reported to have been a member of the Nazi Party before emigrating to Chile in 1950.
Kast is due to take office on March 11, 2026. He has said he will give undocumented migrants until that date to leave the country and warned that those who remain could face deportation or prosecution.
The outcome caps years of left-of-center rule in Chile and echoes a broader regional shift in which security and migration have become central electoral issues. This year, Bolivia voted out long-ruling socialists; Argentina’s La Libertad Avanza gained legislative ground, strengthening President Javier Milei’s influence; and Ecuador has seen the rise of center-right leader Daniel Noboa.
Far-right Argentine President Javier Milei hailed Kast’s victory, calling it evidence that Latin America is rejecting “21st-century socialism.” U.S. Senator Marco Rubio tweeted his congratulations, saying Washington looks forward to “partnering with his administration to strengthen regional security.”
