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Following a conclusive second-round vote, ultra-conservative candidate José Antonio Kast has clinched the top job in Chile.

A Commanding Victory

After over 99% of polling stations reporting, Kast secured 58.17% of the vote, overcoming leftist former minister Jeannette Jara, who earned 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third bid for the presidency, having in the past been defeated by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 final vote.

Campaign Built On Security and Migration

Recognized for his staunch socially conservative views and praise for the era of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's campaign was primarily focused on promises to address growing crime and radically reduce migration.

He repeatedly blamed foreigners, particularly the roughly 330,000 undocumented individuals in Chile, for crime rates. During the campaign, he delivered an final demand for them to leave before the inauguration or face deportation.

His proposals included controversial measures such as erecting detention centers, barriers, perimeter fencing, and increasing the military presence on the northernmost border.

Part of a Broader Trend

Several commentators interpret Kast's victory as aligning with a larger right-wing shift in South America, coming after this year's political results in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

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

Governing Without a Clear Mandate

In spite of his clear popular vote triumph, Kast will not command an clear majority in Congress, not in the lower house nor the Senate, even when various rightwing parties are grouped together.

This political situation could hinder his plans, such as a pledge to cut public spending by a significant sum within 18 months—a plan for which he has not provided specifics.

"There are numerous aspects about how a Kast government will look like that we don't know because he has not detailed his methods for implement them," commented a political science professor.

The expert continued, "Regarding the economy, it is almost certain we will see austerity policies associated with the right-wing. But where there is considerably less ambiguity is on law and order, because that has been his workhorse across the campaign."