Name: Chiles far-right hardliner wins landslide presidency
Uploaded: 2025-12-15T14:29:56.597Z
Duration: 2 min 18 s
Description: Chile has elected its most right-wing leader in more than 35 years after Jose Antonio Kast won the presidential runoff with over 58 percent. His victory adds momentum to a wider rightward shift across Latin America.

Chile has elected its most right-wing leader in more than 35 years after Jose Antonio Kast won the presidential runoff with over 58 percent. His victory adds momentum to a wider rightward shift across Latin America.

Santiago

Jose Antonio Kast, leader of Chile's Republican Party, has won the presidency in a landslide, representing the country's most pronounced rightward shift since the end of military rule in 1990. His campaign focused on law and order, addressing rising crime rates and concerns over irregular migration, which resonated with voters.

Kast defeated left-wing coalition candidate Jeannette Jara, who conceded and acknowledged the need to address voters' concerns. International reactions included swift congratulations from Washington, as Kast's win aligns Chile more closely with the United States and signals a broader rightward trend in Latin America.

Chile's far-right hardliner wins landslide presidency

Jubilation on the streets of Santiago, as supporters celebrate Jose Antonio Kast and his Republican party. The 59-year-old's sweeping victory marks the sharpest rightward shift since the end of Chile's military dictatorship in 1990. In his first address as president-elect, his main message was a simple one, that Chileans would be able to live free of fear again. We're going to restore the law. We're going to restore respect for the law in all regions. It was a landslide win over the candidate of the governing left-wing coalition, Jeannette Jara. In her concession speech, Jara said democracy had spoken, loud and clear. I think of those who legitimately voted for the now president-elect because they remind us of the task ahead, to address their worries, to ask ourselves the difficult questions, even if painful, so as to be an alternative for Chile again. This was Kast's third run for office. The lawyer and father of nine was once seen as being too extreme by voters. His staunch opposition of same-sex marriage and all forms of abortion, along with his admiration for Chile's former right-wing dictator Augusto Pinochet, previously put off a majority of Chileans. But this time around, the law and order platform clearly resonated. Chileans have become concerned about rapidly rising crime rates. And Kast also tapped into public fears over irregular migration. We fully trust that he will regulate migration. Let the migrants come to the country. Let them come. But it should be regulated. Washington was quick to congratulate Chile's president-elect. His win gives President Donald Trump another right-wing leader in South America, more closely aligned with the United States. Kast has promised to cut public spending and push for more free market economic policies, adding weight to a wider shift towards the right across Latin America. For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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