Kast’s decisive victory signals a regional conservative shift and could soften Chile’s strained tone toward Israel.
Chile has elected conservative candidate José Antonio Kast as its next president after he won about 58% of the vote. Kast defeated left-wing rival Jeannette Jara and is set to take office in March 2026.
Kast’s campaign focused almost entirely on two dominant issues in Chilean politics in recent years: crime and personal security, and illegal immigration. He ran on a tough “law and order” platform, including deploying the military to high-crime areas, tightening border enforcement, and deporting migrants without legal status.
Stylistically, Kast adopted elements reminiscent of US President Donald Trump’s campaigns, including distributing hats bearing the slogan “Make Chile Great Again.”