

Chile elects most right-wing president of post-Pinochet era
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Chileans on Sunday elected their most right-wing president in a generation, with hard-line conservative José Antonio Kast winning easily after vowing to clamp down on crime and illegal immigration. Kast’s victory over Jeannette Jara, a Communist, adds to a wave of electoral wins by right-wing politicians across Latin America, giving President Trump new allies who are on board with his anti-migrant policies.
Jara conceded with over 80% of the ballots counted. Kast won with 58% of the votes in one of the most lopsided presidential victories since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990. “It bodes well for the bolstering of this kind of right-wing network through the Americas," said Jennifer Pribble, a political scientist and Latin America expert at the University of Richmond.
“Trump’s next natural ally will be Kast in Chile." Kast overcame concerns about his support for the right-wing military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who laid the foundation for Chile’s free-market development but also was responsible for the torture, disappearances and deaths of political opponents. Kast has said he didn’t support the military’s human-rights violations during Pinochet’s 17-year rule.
Kast, 59 years old, will take office in March, leading a major mining nation that is the world’s top producer of copper and second biggest producer of lithium, crucial components for renewable energies. It was the third presidential bid for Kast, a lawyer and former legislator. This time, the devout Catholic and father of nine avoided discussing social issues that had put off Chileans in previous presidential bids.
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