Chile: how the “Chilean Bolsonaro” and the communist candidate running for president this Sunday compare

She won the first round of elections, with a message based on increased access to social protection networks and measures to address security and migration issues, two priority issues for Chileans.

The two candidates tried to win the support of voters considered closer to the center during a historic election, marked by the strong antagonism represented by the models of society defended by each of them.

But how do Kast and Jara’s most iconic offerings compare?

The 51-year-old communist candidate says that, if elected, her government will focus on representing the vision of the left and center-left, grouped within the political coalition that supports her.

In the economic sector, Jara proposed the creation of a “living income” of around 800 US dollars (around 4,300 reais) per month, to improve the financial situation of the most vulnerable families. The amount would be covered gradually, thanks to state subsidies for small and medium-sized businesses.

“In my government we want to put more money in your pockets,” the candidate said.

Jara promised to reduce the price of electricity bills and ask the state to provide economic support to young people aged 25 to 40 to save money to buy housing.

Another of his proposals is to eliminate the use of the Development Unit (UF) in the health and education sectors, to avoid “excessive” increases in payments.

The UF is an index readjusted daily, based on inflation. It is used to indicate the value of housing, bank loans and the cost of health insurance.

She also proposed the creation of a unified employment subsidy for women, youth and the elderly, in addition to reducing the waiting list for medical care.

Regarding immigration, contrary to the mass expulsions promised by Kast, Jara proposes the creation of a biometric register and “limited regularization” for foreigners without criminal records, who work and maintain family ties, in addition to a biometric register of foreigners living in the country.

On the other hand, the government candidate is committed to strengthening border control, with the support of the armed forces and surveillance technologies.

In the area of ​​security, Jara says his government will tackle the finances of organized crime. To this end, his proposal is to lift banking secrecy, to monitor the flow of money linked to drug trafficking.

“There’s no point in having more prisons or more police if we don’t address the root causes of organized crime,” she said.

At the same time, the candidate also promised to strengthen the country’s police and increase gun control.

During the last presidential debate before the runoff, Jara announced that if elected, she would renounce her membership in the Communist Party.

Regarding the threat of possible military intervention by the United States in Venezuela, Jara says that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro “must without a doubt leave power.” But she warned that Donald Trump’s proposal, according to her, “violates international law”.

“I will not support the invasion of another country,” she said.

The central axis of Kast’s campaign revolves around security and immigration issues. The ultra-right structured its speech around the idea of ​​an “emergency government” to fight against the increase in crime.

Kast proposed building maximum-security prisons, increasing sentences for offenders, ending “narco-funerals,” overhauling how self-defense is enforced, and creating a special force to reclaim crime-dominated areas of the country.

“Chile will be a safe country again,” the candidate said.

On immigration, he promised mass expulsions of irregular immigrants, including charter flights to return them to their countries of origin. The cost must be financed in part by the passengers themselves.

“We will close the borders wherever there is irregular crossing,” Kast said as part of his Border Shield plan.

But in recent days, the candidate has moderated his speech, saying that deportations under his government would not be like those in the United States.

“There are many ways to invite people, but who is going to pay? I’m not going,” he said.

Kast also proposes that irregular immigration be considered a crime and that undocumented foreigners not have access to basic benefits provided by the state, such as education, health or housing.

In the economic sector, the candidate promised to promote “austerity”, reducing budgetary spending by $6 billion (around 32.4 billion reais) over a period of 18 months.

The feasibility of applying this measure has been questioned, due to the scale of the reduction. Its implementation would imply the reduction of social benefits for the population.

But Kast assured that it was possible to make these reductions without harming social benefits, such as the guaranteed universal pension, but did not detail how he would implement this adjustment.

In the tax area, the former MP announced that during his next term he would reduce corporate tax on large and medium-sized businesses, from the current rate of 27% to 23%. And he promised to eliminate, in some cases, the capital income tax on stock sales.

Unlike his speech in previous elections, Kast avoided commenting on topics such as abortion and same-sex marriage, as well as human rights violations during the regime of Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006). In the past, the candidate has defended some of his policies.

Internationally, Kast stated during one of the presidential debates that his position regarding a possible US military incursion into Venezuela is represented in the phrase inscribed on the Chilean coat of arms: “By reason or by force.”

And regarding El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, a pioneer of tough anti-crime policies, he said that if all Chileans were to vote today and Bukele’s name appeared on the ballot, he would be elected.