Chile is conducting a presidential runoff election, presenting voters with a choice between José Antonio Kast, a far-right candidate, and Jeannette Jara, a left-wing candidate from the Communist Party. Polls indicate that Kast is currently favored.
Candidates and Platforms
José Antonio Kast
Kast, a career politician, is making his third bid for the presidency. His campaign has emphasized public security and migration, advocating for proposals such as migrant deportation and increased criminal incarceration. During a recent rally in Temuco, these proposals received strong audience reception. Economically, Kast has proposed reducing corporation tax and cutting the public budget by $6 billion within 18 months of taking office, with potential measures including the dismissal of public employees hired during the current administration.
Kast's family background includes his father, Michael Kast, who emigrated from Germany in 1950, and his brother, Miguel, who served as a minister during the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. José Antonio Kast has expressed support for the legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship and campaigned in favor of General Pinochet during the 1988 plebiscite. In his current campaign, he has focused on security and migration, largely avoiding issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion, which were prominent in his previous presidential bids.
Jeannette Jara
Jeannette Jara, 51, has served as an undersecretary in Michelle Bachelet's government and as labor minister under current President Gabriel Boric. In her role as labor minister, she led pension reform initiatives, oversaw increases in the national minimum wage, and contributed to reducing the length of the working week. Jara joined the youth wing of Chile's Communist Party at age 14 and has been a member of its central committee since 2015.
Her campaign focuses on affordability. Key proposals include a universal core income of approximately $800 per month, intended to be funded through gradual minimum-wage increases, along with measures to lower electricity bills and establish state savings contributions to assist individuals aged 25 to 40 in home purchasing.
Key Electoral Issues
Public concern regarding crime has risen in Chile. A 2024 Gallup global safety report ranked Chile sixth out of 144 countries for fear of walking alone at night, despite its classification among the safer nations in Latin America. Violent crime rates have increased over the last four years, with homicides peaking in 2023 before subsequently declining. Illegal migration has also gained public attention, particularly following an influx of Venezuelan arrivals since 2018 due to economic instability.
Broader Context
Polls indicate a potential victory for José Antonio Kast, which would position him as Chile's most right-wing leader since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship in 1990. This outcome would align with recent political shifts observed in other Latin American nations, including the removal of socialist governments in Bolivia, a legislative victory for La Libertad Avanza in Argentina, and the re-election of center-right Daniel Noboa in Ecuador.