He comes from a family of German origin with controversial roots, marked by his father’s exile during World War II. jose antonio castrest, 59 year old lawyer, He is the son of a former Nazi soldier and brother of former Minister Augusto Pinochet. (1973-1990).
An admirer of Pinochet, this time he has left aside issues such as his rejection of abortion and equal marriage. His proposal is to Relentless fight against crime and illegal immigrants. In addition, he admitted that he owned a five-shot pistol and that he wanted to increase police firepower. At an open election campaign event, he delivered his speech behind armored glass.
From union dissidence to republican leadership: who is José Antonio Cast?
Candidate He studied law At the Pontifical Catholic University, East Campus, where He formulated his conservative vision during the 1980s of the dictatorship. He entered politics as a member of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) in 1990 Traditional values and the legacy of Pinochet. In 1996, he was elected to the Bowen Council, a position he held until 2000, strengthening his base on the hard right. His career reflects a Commitment to order and family, Influenced by his education at the German School in Santiago.
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In 2002, Kast rose to national prominence by running for representative of District 30 (Buen Melipilla), winning 35.4% of the vote as part of the Alliance for Chile. He was re-elected in 2005, 2009 and 2013. Safety and anti-abortion initiativesShe positioned herself as a critical voice for Michelle Bachelet’s government.
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In 2016, he resigned from the UDI over ideological differences, and founded the Republican Action Movement. In 2017, he competed as an independent in the presidential elections, receiving 7.93% of the votes, a first participation that revealed his subversive potential. His time in Congress included until 2018 Defenses of the neoliberal model and opposition to progressive social reforms.
The founding of the Republican Party in 2019 marked Caste’s rise as a reference for the Chilean far right. After the social outbreak in October 2019, He tapped into discontent with anti-establishment rhetoricInspired by characters such as Javier Maile.
In the 2021 presidential elections, he obtained 27.91% in the first round, forcing him to hold a runoff, in which he lost to Gabriel Buric. This result boosted his party to 5 seats at the Constituent Congress, where he promoted the new conservative Magna Carta, which was rejected in a plebiscite.
Analysts highlight this – Do not get emotional in discussions and forumslike the one in June 2025, where he ignored the rules to emphasize his message. His extreme position is clear in Criticism of “woke culture” and defense of Pinochet’s legacyAlthough he denies attempts to destabilize democracies.
Kast responds to accusations of extremism, such as those made by Buric in June 2024, arguing that his sector defends democracy against “extremist forces.” Financial Times, July 2025, She linked her rise to the security role in the electionsHe described it as part of a regional far-right wave.
His differences with rivals such as Johannes Kaiser lay in their institutional experimentation versus MP liberalism, but both shared a rejection of progressivism. In September 2025, he prioritized alliances with Chile’s Vamos, Amarillos and Democrats to obtain a parliamentary majority, describing the center-right as “traditional”. This strategy seeks to unify the fragmented right.
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In his third presidential bid, announced in January 2025, Kast promised “security, Miley-style cuts, and an end to vigilante culture.”. Compared to 2021, it has toned down value issues, focusing on the economy and public order, according to an analysis from June 2025. Its government programme, presented in August in 38 pages, Covers security, economy and social rightswithout going into abortion or equal marriage. It is proposed to cancel the retirement “drawdown” and promotion Voluntary pensions and a sovereign fund for financial stability.
In the area of security, it includes a “comprehensive survey plan” for July Instantly destroy illicit goods and use artificial intelligence to combat street tradingRestoring public spaces. From an economic standpoint, it is proposed to mitigate the impact of the crisis Cancellation of contributions to municipal investments of frozen funds
In inclusion, Kast suggests Adapting public spaces for people with autism and empathy campaigns, Submitted in October. The social axis emphasizes adequate housing and retirement pensions, with measures such as: Targeted support and reform of solidarity pensions. Critics such as Marco Enriquez Ominami accuse him of avoiding economic discussions due to his lack of depth.
In the November 2025 polls, Cast It was placed second favorite with 25% of voting intention According to opinion polls before the first round on November 16. In October, she fell to 23%, behind Janet Jara (28%), but is regaining her strength in the face of the right-wing split with Evelyn Matthey (20%) and Kaiser (14%). Pulso Ciudadano in July set it at 17.3%, but a recent discussion by Anatel on November 10 has strengthened its security profile. Analysts highlight its appeal to undecided conservatives, in a possible runoff scenario.
The CAST campaign, run by Alejandro Irrarazaval since October, is focusing on regional outreach and strong financing to “go” with Chilean Vamos. His plan seeks to resolve differences with the center-right, with the aim of forming a broad coalition after the elections. In polarized Chile, Cast represents a conservative stronghold, promising order in the face of “progressive chaos.”
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