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After a definitive second-round vote, ultra-conservative figure José Antonio Kast has clinched the top job 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 earned 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having previously been lost by the current president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff.

Campaign Built On Law and Order and Migration

Noted for his unwavering socially conservative views and admiration for the era of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was mostly built on promises to combat increasing crime and drastically reduce immigration.

He repeatedly pointed to foreigners, especially the approximately 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for security issues. Throughout the race, he delivered an stern warning for them to leave before the new term begins or face removal.

His plans featured U.S.-style measures such as erecting camps, border walls, security fences, and bolstering the military presence on the northern border.

Part of a Regional Wave

Numerous commentators interpret Kast's win as aligning with a broader right-wing wave in South America, coming after recent electoral outcomes in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other experts additionally describe it as a part of the regular swing of power between left and right administrations since Chile's establishment of democracy in 1990.

Leading Without a Solid Mandate

Despite his sweeping popular vote triumph, Kast is not expected to command an absolute majority in the legislature, neither in the Chamber of Deputies nor the Senate, even if various conservative parties are grouped together.

This political landscape could complicate his plans, including a vow to cut public spending by billions within a year and a half—a measure for which he has not detailed concrete steps.

"There are numerous questions about how a Kast government will operate that are uncertain because he has not explained the way he will achieve them," noted a political science expert.

The expert continued, "In terms of economic policy, it is highly probable we will see adjustment measures associated with the right-wing. But the area with far less ambiguity is on law and order, because that has been his workhorse throughout the campaign."