SANTIAGO, Chile — Ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast of the Republican Party secured a decisive victory in Chile's presidential runoff election on December 14, 2025, defeating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara and marking the country's sharpest shift to the right since the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in 1990.
With nearly all votes counted, Kast captured approximately 58% of the vote, while Jara, a Communist Party member and former labor minister representing the governing leftist coalition, received around 42%. The results represent a significant rebound for Kast, who advanced to the runoff after placing second in the first round on November 16, 2025.
Jara quickly conceded defeat, acknowledging the clear outcome. "Democracy spoke loud and clear," she stated in a post on social media platform X. "I just spoke with President-elect José Antonio Kast to wish him success for the good of Chile. To those who supported us and were inspired by our candidacy, rest assured that we will continue working to build a better life in our country. Together and standing strong, as we always have."
Outgoing President Gabriel Boric, whose administration Jara was affiliated with, also congratulated Kast in a televised phone call, describing it as "a clear victory" and inviting the president-elect to La Moneda palace for transition discussions the following morning.
The election, held with compulsory voting for the first time in over a decade, saw heightened participation amid widespread concerns over public security. Polls consistently ranked crime and immigration as voters' top priorities, surpassing economic issues, healthcare, and education. Despite Chile remaining one of Latin America's safest nations overall, a surge in organized crime, homicides, kidnappings, and extortion—often linked to undocumented migration—created a pervasive "sense of lawlessness" that dominated the campaign.
Kast, a 59-year-old lawyer and former congressman, ran on a hardline "iron fist" platform to restore order. His promises included deploying the military to high-crime areas, constructing a border wall along northern frontiers with Peru and Bolivia, building maximum-security prisons, and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Chile's migrant population has grown significantly in recent years, with estimates of hundreds of thousands arriving from Venezuela and other countries, many entering irregularly.
A staunch Catholic and father of nine, Kast is known for his opposition to abortion in all cases and same-sex marriage. He has openly praised aspects of Pinochet's 1973-1990 regime, drawing criticism for his family's ties—his father was a registered member of the Nazi Party in Germany before emigrating—and for evoking authoritarian echoes in a country still reconciling with its dictatorial past.
In the first round, Jara narrowly led with about 27% of the vote compared to Kast's 24%, but fragmented right-wing candidates collectively outperformed the left. Kast consolidated support from eliminated conservative contenders, including endorsements from figures like Evelyn Matthei and Johannes Kaiser, propelling him to a commanding lead in runoff polls.
Jara's campaign faced headwinds from Boric's low approval ratings, hovering around 22-30% in recent surveys, amid sluggish economic growth, corruption scandals, and perceived failures in addressing security. As labor minister, Jara had championed popular reforms like reducing the workweek to 40 hours and raising the minimum wage, but these achievements were overshadowed by broader discontent with the incumbent coalition.
Kast's win fits into a broader regional trend of right-wing surges in Latin America, driven by law-and-order demands. Recent victories include Javier Milei in Argentina, Daniel Noboa in Ecuador, Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, and shifts in Bolivia. Analysts note that while Kast moderated some rhetoric to appeal to centrists—avoiding overt references to his Pinochet admiration—he channeled voter frustration similar to Donald Trump, whom he has cited as an inspiration, even adopting slogans akin to "Make Chile Great Again."
In his victory speech to flag-waving supporters in Santiago, Kast declared: "Chile won here, with the hope of no longer living in fear, of a Chile that works." He vowed firmness against criminals, stating, "Criminals, delinquents—their lives are going to change. We're going to look for them, find them, judge them and then we're going to lock them up." He tempered expectations by noting "no magical solutions" and the need for perseverance.
International reactions highlighted the geopolitical implications. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Kast, expressing confidence that under his leadership, Chile would advance shared priorities including "strengthening public security, ending illegal immigration, and revitalizing our commercial relationship." Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also extended congratulations, pledging continued cooperation.
Kast's triumph delivers control of the presidency to the far right for the first time in decades, though congressional gains for right-wing parties were mixed, with the Senate evenly split and populists holding sway in the lower house. Market reactions were positive, with the Chilean peso and stocks rising on expectations of deregulation and pro-business policies.
As Kast prepares to assume office on March 11, 2026, Chile faces profound changes in social policy, security strategy, and foreign relations. Critics warn of risks to democratic norms and human rights, given Kast's past positions, while supporters hail a mandate for restoring safety and stability in a nation weary of instability.
The election underscores a voter backlash against progressive governance, prioritizing tangible results on crime over ideological debates. For the left, it signals a need for introspection after Boric's ambitious but truncated reforms. Kast's administration will be closely watched as it navigates these divides in one of South America's most stable democracies.
