SANTIAGO, Chile —Chile has taken a decisive turn to the right after José Antonio Kast, a hardline conservative, won the country's presidential runoff, following a campaign dominated by fears over crime, migration and economic uncertainty.
With over 99% of ballots counted, Kast, the leader of the Republican Party, secured over 58% of the vote.
His rival, Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, who received just over 41% of the vote, called to concede defeat, writing on social media, "democracy spoke loud and clear." Outgoing President Gabriel Boric also phoned Kast to congratulate him.
As results were confirmed, the streets erupted with honking car horns, and crowds waving Chilean flags packed one of Santiago's wealthiest districts, eager to hear the president-elect speak.
"We will work relentlessly to restore peace, order, growth, and hope," Kast declared after his victory. He pledged to be "the president of all Chileans."
"Chile will be free from crime again, free from anguish, free from fear," he declared.
Kast, 59, a devout Catholic and father of nine, ran almost entirely on public security and immigration, warning of a "crisis" in Chile and pledging an "emergency" government.
His message struck a chord in a country shaken by a recent surge in violent crime and growing unease over undocumented migration.
A staunch admirer of former dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast will become the first president since Chile's return to democracy in 1990 to openly support the military regime. His father, Michael Kast, was a member of the Nazi Party who fought in the German army during World War II before emigrating to Chile in 1950.
Kast is set to take office March 11, 2026. He has pledged to give undocumented migrants until that date to leave the country, warning that those who remain would face deportation or prosecution.
Kast's victory follows years of left-of-center rule in Chile. It also reflects a broader regional trend in Latin America in which security and migration have become decisive electoral issues.
In elections this year Bolivia ousted socialists who had ruled for nearly two decades. Argentina's La Libertad Avanza won legislative elections, boosting President Javier Milei's influence in Congress, and Ecuador re-elected center-right Daniel Noboa.
Far-right libertarian President Javier Milei of neighboring Argentina welcomed Kast's win, calling his "friend's" victory proof that Latin America is casting off the "oppressive shackles of 21st-century socialism."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted his congratulations, saying Washington looks forward to "partnering with his administration to strengthen regional security."
