Kast Takes Office in Chile, Orders Border Barriers and Swift Security Decrees

Overview

• Sworn in at Congress in Valparaíso, José Antonio Kast vowed a "government of emergency" to confront crime and irregular migration.
• He signed six day-one decrees, instructing construction of physical barriers on the Bolivia border and calling on the military to reinforce controls.
• The Border Shield Plan outlines legal proposals, tighter rules on use of force, and expanded monitoring with drones, sensors, and upgraded communications, citing roughly 337,000 undocumented residents.
• He ordered comprehensive audits of the previous administration and said the country was delivered in worse condition than expected.
• With allies narrowly electing Jorge Alessandri to lead the lower house 78–76, Kast governs without an absolute majority as his bloc holds 76 of 155 deputies and the Senate remains evenly split.