Chile’s president-elect picks Pinochet lawyers as ministers of human rights, defence

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseJanuary 21, 2026 at 06:03 AM

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Chile's president-elect, Jose Antonio Kast, has appointed two former lawyers of dictator Augusto Pinochet to key ministerial positions. Fernando Barros will serve as defense minister, and Fernando Rabat will head the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights when Kast takes office on March 11. Kast, who admires Pinochet and won the December election, is the first far-right leader in Chile since Pinochet's regime. Pinochet's dictatorship, which lasted from 1973 to 1990, was responsible for the deaths or disappearances of over 3,200 people, as well as the torture and imprisonment of tens of thousands more. The appointments have drawn attention due to the controversial legacy of the Pinochet era.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

AFP 30% Fernando Barros 70% Fernando Rabat 70% Augusto Pinochet ×485% Jose Antonio Kast ×490% Chile ×295%

Keywords

augusto pinochet 100% jose antonio kast 100% human rights 90% chile 90% dictatorship 80% defence minister 70% president-elect 60% political appointments 50% far-right 50%