The victory of José Antonio Kast in Chile confirms that the “blue tide” in Latin America is not an isolated or episodic phenomenon. This is a profound shift in the electorate towards order, security and common sense, after years of ideological radicalism. With … With 58.16 percent of the vote, Kast not only beat communist candidate Jeannette Jara, but obtained a historic majority: more than seven million votes and victories in 310 municipalities across the country, compared to only 36 for his rival.
Beyond the strength of the data, what distinguishes this 59-year-old lawyer, father of nine children and deeply pious man is the spirit with which he welcomed the victory. Far from falling into vengeance, Kast delivered a speech of unity and responsibility. He thanked the work of his opponents, recognized Jara’s courage, praised former center-left presidents and even paid tribute to Sebastián Piñera, with whom he bitterly disputed leadership of the right. And as a last gesture, he resigned from the Republican Party that he had founded to become president of all Chileans. This gesture is eloquent: in times of polarization, Kast proposes to tear down the walls. In a continent tired of populism, this promises institutionalization. In a region overwhelmed by insecurity and fragmentation, he speaks of a “national agreement”, of restoring trust and governance for all.
Chile feels faced with an emergency. Economic stagnation, widespread crime and citizen boredom after years of constitutional upheaval call for solutions rather than slogans. Kast does not promise miracles – he himself humbly warned – but he asks Chileans for “energy, firmness, greatness to unite the country”. His leadership is based on work, austerity and deeply rooted values. As he repeated in his speech: “Chile has won here, and the hope of living without fear has won.”
The contrast with Spain is inevitable. As Pedro Sánchez clings to a radical left increasingly foreign to the Latin American pulse, the people of the region are largely voting for other options. He also strives to confront the right with the rhetoric of civil war, building walls, refusing to recognize the adversary’s victories and scorning legitimate governments elected by millions. Kast, on the other hand, showed that you can win with conviction and govern with generosity.
Furthermore, this victory represents the closure of a long period of historical revisionism promoted by the new radical left. The Chilean Broad Front, like Podemos in Spain, has been repeating for years that the transition to democracy was only a simple arrangement between elites, the second period of dictatorships. The voters responded clearly: Pinochet, like Franco in Spain, now belongs to the past, they do not want refoundations or failed constituent assemblies, but rather progress within a common institutional framework. Kast, by promoting figures of the transition like Aylwin and Lagos, restored dignity to a transition modeled on the Spanish one, which gave stability to Chile for decades.
This turn is not an accident. We anticipated this in these pages by warning that the “pink tide” was receding. Kast’s challenge now is to transform hope into results, popular support into concrete reforms and the electoral coalition into lasting governability. Chile is entering a new stage. And if he does it with prudence, firmness and a vocation for service, he can become an example for the entire region.
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