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After a definitive second-round vote, far-right candidate José Antonio Kast has clinched the presidential office in Chile.

A Commanding Victory

With more than 99% of ballots counted, Kast secured 58.17% of the votes, overcoming leftist former minister Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having previously been lost by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff.

Agenda Centered On Law and Order and Migration

Known for his strong socially conservative views and praise for the period of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's electoral bid was largely centered on promises to address increasing violence and radically reduce migration.

He repeatedly blamed immigrants, especially the around 330,000 unauthorized individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. Throughout the election cycle, he delivered an ultimatum for them to depart before the new term begins or face deportation.

His plans included Trump-inspired measures such as constructing camps, barriers, security fences, and strengthening the armed forces presence on the northern frontier.

Part of a Regional Trend

Numerous commentators view Kast's victory as part of a broader rightward wave in Latin America, following recent political wins in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other pundits also frame it as a extension of the predictable rotation of power between left-wing and right-wing leadership since Chile's return to democracy in 1990.

Leading Lacking a Strong Mandate

In spite of his decisive electoral triumph, Kast will not command an overall majority in the legislature, not in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, even if all conservative parties are counted together.

This political reality could complicate his agenda, including a vow to slash public spending by a significant sum within a year and a half—a measure for which he has yet to offered a clear explanation.

"We have numerous things about how a Kast government will look like that we don't know because he has not detailed how he will achieve them," noted a political science expert.

The expert stated, "Regarding the economy, it is almost certain we will see austerity policies common for the right. But the area with far less uncertainty is on law and order, because that has been his central theme across the race."