José Antonio Kast, right-wing candidate, adopted a calming tone during his first speech after being elected new president of Chile this Sunday (14). He obtained more than 58% of the votes, according to the country’s Electoral Service (Servel). “It’s an incredible day,” the election winner said as he took the stage Sunday evening. After thanking voters and his family, he said we needed to ask “a little more” from everyone. “Help me, everyone, so that during these four years we can do good. Just as we have maintained our unity, I ask for this additional sacrifice that you continue to accompany me in the Presidency of the Republic.”
In the second round, he beat the left-wing candidate, Jeanette Jara, who came first in the first round. “I want to ask you something very special. I want to ask for a moment of deep respect and silence. A government has supporters and oppositions. It’s normal. It’s legitimate. Clearly, with Jeannette Jara, we have deep differences,” he said.
After receiving boos from the audience, he again demanded respect. “Respect and silence will mark our management of government. We can have differences, and difficult differences, we can believe in very different things for our society, but if we value violence, if we value exaggerated shouting, it is very difficult for us to get away with it.”
Kast said one of his sons asked him if the world would be a better place if everyone was right-wing. “Not necessarily,” said Chile’s president-elect. “The issues that affect people have no political color. There are people who behave well on the left and the right. There are people who behave badly on the left and the right.” “If we want to fight organized crime, we need you too,” Kast said, addressing the opposition. “I will be the president of all Chileans.”
He also said that the state “is not property and that is why we want to create a unity government”, also at the parliamentary level. “That’s why we said we wanted to push for a national deal; even if they say we’re not good at deals, we’re going to surprise them.”
He also promised to toughen laws and fight crime. “For these offenders, life will change.” Since 2010, the right and the left have alternated in power in Chile at each election. Jara is a former labor minister in the current government of President Gabriel Boric, who represents a center-left coalition. She won the first round, but the total number of right-wing votes exceeded 50%, driven by public security proposals.
Although Chile is one of the safest countries in the region, 63% of the population cites crime as their main concern, according to Ipsos. Homicides increased by 140% in ten years, and the country recorded 868 kidnappings in 2024, an increase of 76% compared to 2021.
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