Far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast elected Chile's new president

Far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast became Chile's 38th president on Sunday, ending the tenure of the centre-left government. Preliminary results on Sunday suggested that Kast defeated the former Labour Minister Jeannette Jara. Jara and her coalition, Unity for Chile, conceded shortly after polls closed.Jose Antonio Kast, 59, leads Chile's Republican Party and secured the presidency on his third attempt.

As per the New York Times, Kast is a father of nine with ideological roots in conservative Roman Catholicism and economic neoliberalism. He had campaigned on a tough-on-crime platform that had echoes of US President Donald Trump's political approach, promising to deport undocumented migrants and build a barrier along Chile's extensive northern border, NYT added.

He had lost the 2021 election to outgoing President Gabriel Boric by nearly 10 points. Boric, who became Chile's youngest president, saw his popularity drop to around 30 per cent by the end of his term and was ineligible to run for a second term. Voter frustration over rising crime, immigration, and a slowing economy contributed to Kast's success. During his campaign, Kast promised to tackle these issues with strict measures, including mass deportations, harsher sentencing, and isolating cartel leaders in maximum-security facilities.

Following her defeat, Jara took to X, hailing the democratic mandate of the country, adding that her supporters would continue working for a better future for the country. "Democracy spoke loud and clear. I just communicated with the President-elect, Jose Antonio Kast, to wish him success for the good of Chile. To those who supported us and were rallied by our candidacy, rest assured that we will continue working to advance a better life in our homeland. Together and standing tall, as we have always done," she stated.