Chile Swings Right, New President Signals Conservative Shift

José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile’s president Wednesday, marking the nation’s most significant shift to the right in decades. The ultraconservative political veteran secured a landslide victory in December against Jeannette Jara, promising to address crime and immigration. Kast’s inauguration signals a broader conservative trend in the region and closer alignment with the U.S. administration. He has expressed admiration for figures like Augusto Pinochet and implemented decrees to increase border security, audit spending, and reduce bureaucratic processes. During his inaugural address, Kast vowed to enact sweeping reforms, including the construction of border barriers along the frontier with Bolivia. This marks Chile’s most pronounced move to the right since the return of democracy in 1990.