Chile’s presidential election concluded with conservative José Antonio Kast winning Sunday’s runoff, following a campaign dominated by public concerns over crime, illegal immigration, and economic instability.
With more than 99 percent of ballots counted, Kast, leader of the Republican Party, captured just over 58 percent of the vote. His opponent, Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, took slightly more than 41 percent and conceded defeat, saying “democracy spoke loud and clear.”
Celebrations broke out in parts of Santiago as supporters waved Chilean flags and packed affluent districts to hear Kast speak. “We will work relentlessly to restore peace, order, growth, and hope,” he said, pledging to govern as “the president of all Chileans” and vowing to make Chile “free from crime, fear, and anguish.”
Kast, a 59-year-old devout Catholic, centered his campaign almost entirely on security and immigration, branding the country as being in crisis and promising an “emergency” government. He largely sidestepped his ultra-conservative social positions, including support for a total abortion ban and opposition to same-sex marriage, which had hurt his previous presidential bids.
Kast is set to take office on March 11, 2026. He has pledged to give undocumented immigrants until that date to leave the country, warning that those who remain would face deportation or prosecution.
The victory ends years of left-leaning rule in Chile and mirrors a wider shift across Latin America, where concerns over crime and immigration have reshaped recent elections in countries including Bolivia, Argentina, and Ecuador.
