Chile elects far-right leader José Antonio Kast as President in runoff victory

Chile elected far-right politician José Antonio Kast as its next president on Sunday, delivering him a clear victory in the second round of the presidential election over left-wing contender Jeannette Jara.

With nearly all ballots counted, the 59-year-old ultraconservative former lawmaker secured 58 percent of the vote, compared with 42 percent for Jara, according to official results.

 Kast’s win makes him the most right-leaning leader to govern Chile since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship in 1990.

Jara, a moderate communist and former labor minister under outgoing President Gabriel Boric, conceded defeat shortly after the results were announced and said she would lead a “demanding and responsible” opposition.

Speaking to supporters in Santiago, Kast centered his victory speech on public security, a cornerstone of his campaign. “The hope of living without fear has prevailed,” he said, vowing to restore respect for the law across the country, which he has repeatedly described as gripped by rising crime and insecurity. His victory sparked celebrations in several cities, particularly in the capital, where thousands of supporters took to the streets.

The election night was not without tension. At some gatherings, chants praising former dictator Augusto Pinochet were heard, reopening painful memories of the military regime that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990 and left more than 3,200 people dead or disappeared. In Santiago, police dispersed an early protest by Kast’s opponents at Plaza Italia, a focal point for past social unrest.

A practicing Catholic and father of nine, Kast campaigned on a hard-line platform focused on law and order, including promises to expel hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. He is set to be sworn into office in March, taking the helm of a deeply polarized nation facing sharp political and social divisions.