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In a decisive second-round vote, hardline candidate José Antonio Kast has won the top job in Chile.

A Commanding Win

With over 99% of ballots counted, Kast won 58.17% of the votes, beating leftist contender Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%.

This marks Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having previously been lost by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 final vote.

Agenda Centered On Law and Order and Migration

Recognized for his unwavering socially conservative views and admiration for the rule of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's electoral bid was largely built on promises to tackle growing insecurity and radically curb migration.

He repeatedly blamed immigrants, especially the roughly 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for security issues. Throughout the election cycle, he issued an stern warning for them to leave before the March 11 handover or face deportation.

His proposals included Trump-inspired measures such as constructing holding facilities, barriers, perimeter fencing, and increasing the army presence on the northern frontier.

Amid a Continental Wave

Many commentators see Kast's win as fitting into a broader right-wing trend in Latin America, similar to recent electoral results in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other experts also frame it as a extension of the predictable swing of power between left-wing and right-wing leadership since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990.

Governing Lacking a Solid Mandate

Despite his decisive electoral victory, Kast is not expected to hold an absolute majority in parliament, neither in the lower house nor the Senate, even if various rightwing parties are grouped together.

This political situation might hinder his agenda, including a vow to reduce public spending by a significant sum within 18 months—a measure for which he has yet to provided specifics.

"We have many questions about how a Kast government will look like that are uncertain because he has not detailed his methods for implement them," said a political science expert.

The analyst added, "Regarding fiscal matters, it is highly probable we will see austerity policies associated with the right. However the area with far less ambiguity is on law and order, because that has been his workhorse across the campaign."