Jose Antonio Kast

Jose Antonio Kast is Chile's newly elected far-right president, set to take office on March 11, 2026. He is the first far-right head of state in Chile since the end of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. Kast's victory is part of a trend of right-wing wins in Latin America. He ran on a platform focused on tackling crime and tightening immigration policies, issues that resonated with voters concerned about rising crime rates. His opponent in the run-off election was Jeannette Jara. Recently, Kast named two former lawyers of Pinochet to lead the ministries of defense and human rights, a move that has drawn significant attention given Pinochet's brutal legacy. Kast's presidency marks a significant shift in Chilean politics, moving away from the center-left government previously in power.