Overview
- Kast captured roughly 58–59% in the Dec. 14 runoff as Jeannette Jara conceded, according to Chile’s electoral authority Servel.
- He ran on mass deportations, fortified northern borders, expanded military and police powers, detention centers, and an ICE-style migration force.
- Public concern over crime and irregular migration defined the race, with compulsory voting boosting turnout and Kast reported to have carried all 16 regions.
- He is set to take office on March 11, 2026, without an absolute majority in either chamber, complicating passage of his most radical proposals.
- The outcome aligns with a regional tilt toward law-and-order leaders, with congratulations from Argentina’s Javier Milei and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.