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After a definitive final ballot, ultra-conservative politician José Antonio Kast has won the presidency in Chile.

A Commanding Win

After over 99% of ballots counted, Kast garnered 58.17% of the ballots, overcoming 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 runoff.

Platform Centered On Security and Immigration

Known for his strong Catholic views and regard for the period of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was primarily centered on promises to address rising violence and drastically curb immigration.

He frequently cited immigrants, notably the approximately 330,000 undocumented individuals in Chile, for crime rates. During the election cycle, he delivered an final demand for them to depart before the inauguration or face deportation.

His policy ideas envisioned controversial measures such as constructing holding facilities, high walls, electric fences, and strengthening the military presence on the northernmost frontier.

Amid a Regional Shift

Numerous commentators interpret Kast's success as part of a broader conservative wave in South America, similar to this year's electoral wins in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other analysts further frame it as a part of the predictable rotation of power between left-wing and right governments since Chile's return to democracy in 1990.

Ruling Without a Clear Majority

Despite his clear electoral win, Kast is not expected to command an absolute majority in parliament, not in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, even when various right-leaning parties are counted together.

This political reality may complicate his policy goals, such as a vow to cut public spending by billions within 18 months—a plan for which he has yet to provided a clear explanation.

"There are several questions about what a Kast government will be that remain unclear because he has not detailed the way he will do them," noted a political expert.

The professor continued, "In terms of economic policy, it is very likely we will see austerity policies common for the right-wing. However the area with considerably less ambiguity is on law and order, because that has been his flagship issue during the campaign."