Chile Elects Conservative President José Antonio Kast Amid Security and Immigration Concerns

Chile, often regarded as a relatively stable nation in Latin America, recently elected José Antonio Kast as its president. This outcome reflects significant voter concerns regarding national security, immigration, and crime.

Political Background and Stance

José Antonio Kast, a prominent conservative figure, has expressed admiration for General Augusto Pinochet, who led Chile's military government for 17 years. Kast's family history, including his father's past membership in the Nazi Party and his brother's service as a minister under Pinochet, has drawn scrutiny from critics. Conversely, some of Kast's supporters have defended Pinochet's era, citing it as a period of greater peace.

Following his election, Kast, aged 59, stated that his proposed "emergency government" would not entail "authoritarianism," addressing past criticisms directed at other right-wing leaders in the region who implemented military crackdowns on organized crime.

Regional Political Shift

Chile's election marks a continuation of a trend observed in other Latin American nations, including Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Panama, which have recently experienced shifts towards conservative governance. Upcoming elections in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil are also anticipated to be significant. Kast's victory positions Chile within a growing bloc of conservative governments that may align with figures such as former US President Donald Trump, particularly on issues of migration and security. These regional shifts have been influenced by factors such as economic conditions, government performance, and, in Chile's context, concerns over immigration and crime.

Immigration as a Central Issue

Kast's campaign platform included pledges for the construction of a border wall and mass deportations of undocumented migrants. He communicated that individuals without proper documentation should depart before his inauguration to potentially facilitate future re-entry. This message resonated within a country that has witnessed a substantial increase in its foreign-born population.

Government data indicates that by 2023, nearly two million non-nationals resided in Chile, marking a 46% increase since 2018. Estimates suggest approximately 336,000 undocumented migrants, many originating from Venezuela, live in Chile. The rapidity of this demographic change has been a point of public discussion. Jeremías Alonso, a Kast supporter, commented that Chile was unprepared for the recent wave of immigration and argued that Kast's position advocates for legal entry for foreign workers, not xenophobia. Alonso cited perceived increases in crime, drug addiction, and security issues in his working-class neighborhood, which he associated with irregular immigration.

Crime and Proposed Policies

Kast linked rising crime rates to immigration, a stance that gained political traction despite data showing a decrease in murders since peaking in 2022 and some studies indicating that migrants generally commit fewer crimes. Many voters have expressed concerns about organized crime, drug trafficking, thefts, and carjackings as contributing to a sense of insecurity.

Kast's post-election message emphasized welcoming migrants who comply with the law, incarcerating criminals, and restoring public order. He is expected to adopt a firm approach, potentially involving military deployment to the border and utilizing social media to promote enforcement actions. However, implementing large-scale deportations presents practical challenges, partly because Venezuela does not accept deportees from Chile, which has restricted past efforts. The extent to which rhetoric alone might encourage voluntary departure for hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants remains uncertain.

Impact on Migrant Communities

The future for irregular migrants currently in Chile appears uncertain. Gabriel Funez, a Venezuelan waiter who entered Chile irregularly four years ago due to economic conditions in Venezuela, has applied for a visa and received a temporary ID for tax purposes but awaits a decision. Funez expressed concerns about potential deportation and a perceived rise in xenophobia, stating that Kast's rhetoric appears to validate certain public sentiments. He noted that approximately 90% of the staff at his workplace are migrants. Businesses reliant on foreign labor, such as Carlos Alberto Cossio's salteña business, may encounter operational challenges if policy shifts impact the availability of migrant workers.