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Following a conclusive final ballot, far-right figure José Antonio Kast has secured the top job in Chile.

A Resounding Win

After more than 99% of ballots counted, Kast garnered 58.17% of the ballots, beating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%.

This signifies Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having in the past been defeated by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff.

Platform Focused On Law and Order and Migration

Known for his strong Catholic views and regard for the era of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's campaign was primarily built on promises to tackle rising crime and significantly restrict immigration.

He repeatedly blamed immigrants, particularly the roughly 330,000 unauthorized individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. Throughout the election cycle, he issued an ultimatum for them to depart before the inauguration or face expulsion.

His policy ideas featured Trump-inspired measures such as building detention centers, border walls, electric fences, and bolstering the army presence on the northernmost border.

Part of a Continental Trend

Numerous observers interpret Kast's success as part of a larger right-wing wave in the region, similar to recent political results in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

However, other experts also view it as a continuation of the regular swing of power between left-wing and right administrations since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990.

Leading Lacking a Solid Majority

In spite of his decisive electoral victory, Kast will not have an overall majority in Congress, not in the lower house or the Senate, even when all right-leaning parties are counted together.

This political situation might challenge his plans, such as a promise to reduce public spending by billions within a year and a half—a plan for which he has not offered a clear explanation.

"We have numerous questions about how a Kast administration will be that remain unclear because he has not explained how he will do them," commented a political analyst.

The expert continued, "On economic policy, it is very likely we will see austerity policies associated with the right. However the area with considerably less ambiguity is on law and order, because that has been his flagship issue throughout the race."