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In a decisive final ballot, ultra-conservative politician José Antonio Kast has secured the presidential office in Chile.

A Resounding Victory

With more than 99% of polling stations reporting, Kast garnered 58.17% of the ballots, beating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third bid for the presidency, having earlier been defeated by the current president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 second round.

Agenda Centered On Law and Order and Immigration

Recognized for his strong socially conservative views and praise for the era of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was largely focused on promises to combat increasing violence and radically curb migration.

He consistently pointed to foreigners, particularly the around 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. During the race, he delivered an ultimatum for them to depart before the March 11 handover or face deportation.

His plans envisioned U.S.-style measures such as building detention centers, barriers, security fences, and bolstering the armed forces presence on the northern frontier.

Part of a Broader Shift

Several commentators see Kast's victory as part of a broader rightward shift in Latin America, coming after recent electoral results in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Yet, other experts further view it as a extension of the predictable alternation of power between left and right-wing governments since Chile's return to democracy in 1990.

Leading Without a Solid Mandate

Despite his sweeping popular vote victory, Kast is not expected to have an clear majority in Congress, not in the Chamber of Deputies nor the Senate, even if various right-leaning parties are combined together.

This legislative landscape could complicate his policy goals, such as a pledge to cut public spending by $6 billion within a year and a half—a measure for which he has not provided specifics.

"There are several aspects about how a Kast presidency will be that remain unclear because he has not detailed the way he will do them," commented a political analyst.

The expert added, "Regarding the economy, it is very likely we will see adjustment measures common for the right-wing. However the area with much less uncertainty is on public safety, because that has been his central theme during the race."