SANTIAGO, Chile —Chile has taken a decisive turn to the right after José Antonio Kast, a hardline conservative, won the country’s presidential runoff, following a campaign dominated by fears over crime, migration and economic uncertainty.
With over 99% of ballots counted, Kast, the leader of the Republican Party, secured over 58% of the vote.
His rival, Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, who received just over 41% of the vote, called to concede defeat, writing on social media, “democracy spoke loud and clear.” Outgoing President Gabriel Boric also phoned Kast to congratulate him.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/14/nx-s1-5644074/chile-kast-right
Kast secured 58.30% of the vote in a runoff with leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who was at 41.70%, with more than 95% of the ballots counted.
“Democracy has spoken loud and clear,” Jara said as she conceded. “I have communicated with Jose Antonio Kast and wished him success for the good of Chile.”
Kast has been a consistent right-wing hardliner throughout his decades-long political career. He has proposed building border walls, deploying the military to high-crime areas, and deporting all migrants in the country illegally.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/14/americas/chile-election-kast-latam-intl