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Following a conclusive final ballot, hardline politician José Antonio Kast has won the presidential office in Chile.

A Resounding Win

After over 99% of polling stations reporting, Kast won 58.17% of the vote, beating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who earned 41.83%.

This marks Kast's third presidency, having earlier been lost by the current president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff.

Platform Built On Security and Migration

Known for his staunch socially conservative views and admiration for the period of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's campaign was primarily built on promises to tackle growing insecurity and radically curb immigration.

He frequently pointed to migrants, notably the approximately 330,000 unauthorized individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. Throughout the election cycle, he gave an final demand for them to leave before the March 11 handover or face deportation.

His proposals featured U.S.-style measures such as building detention centers, high walls, electric fences, and bolstering the military presence on the northernmost border.

Amid a Continental Wave

Numerous commentators view Kast's win as part of a wider rightward wave in Latin America, following this year's political outcomes in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

However, other experts further describe it as a part of the regular swing of power between left-wing and right leadership since Chile's establishment of democracy in 1990.

Ruling Without a Clear Majority

Despite his sweeping electoral victory, Kast does not hold an absolute majority in the legislature, neither in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, even when all conservative parties are counted together.

This political landscape might hinder his plans, such as a vow to slash public spending by $6 billion within a year and a half—a proposal for which he has not provided specifics.

"We have several questions about how a Kast administration will be that remain unclear because he has not detailed the way he will implement them," said a political expert.

The professor continued, "On economic policy, it is very likely we will see adjustment measures typical of the right-wing. However the area with much less uncertainty is on security policy, because that has been his workhorse throughout the race."