Far-right candidate José Antonio Cast of the Republican Party won the presidential election in Chile by a clear margin, according to data from the country's electoral office, cited by Agence France-Presse and DPA.
In the second round of the election yesterday, Cast beat Yanet Jara, the candidate of the ruling left-wing coalition and a member of the Communist Party, by 58.3% to 41.7% with 95% of the votes counted.
Jara said in "Ex" that she had spoken to her opponent to congratulate him on his victory, adding that "democracy has spoken clearly and categorically".
The victory of Cast marks a clear rightward shift in the South American country, the DPA notes. The focus has shifted since leftist President Gabriel Boric was elected four years ago on a promise to reduce stark social disparities and improve education and health services. Under the constitution, Boric is not eligible to run for re-election.
The issue of crime has dominated the election campaign, even though Chile is one of the safest countries in Latin America. Crime rates have recently increased in certain areas.
Migration has also played a major role in the political agenda, driven by the influx of people fleeing violence and poverty in other South American countries, the vast majority of them from Venezuela. Migrants now make up about 10 percent of Chile's population.
Cast has made securing Chile's borders and deporting illegal immigrants a central part of his campaign. He also announced plans to build new prisons.
To stimulate the economy, Kast wants to cut corporate taxes and significantly cut public spending.
He was born to German immigrants. His father, a member of the Nazi party from Bavaria, moved to Chile after World War II and later founded a meat and sausage factory. Kast, 59, is a devout Catholic and the father of nine.
In the first round, held on November 16, the 51-year-old former labor minister, Jara, won with almost 27% of the vote. Kast, 59, came in second with 24%, but managed to mobilize the votes of his defeated opponents from the right-wing camp.
About 15.8 million people were eligible to vote in the country, and voting is compulsory.
Kast is expected to take office on March 11, 2026.