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Following a conclusive runoff election, ultra-conservative candidate José Antonio Kast has secured the top job in Chile.

A Clear-Cut Victory

After over 99% of ballots counted, Kast secured 58.17% of the votes, beating leftist former minister Jeannette Jara, who received 41.83%.

This marks Kast's third presidency, having in the past been beaten by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 second round.

Campaign Built On Law and Order and Migration

Recognized for his unwavering socially conservative views and admiration for the era of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was primarily built on promises to tackle rising insecurity and drastically restrict immigration.

He repeatedly cited migrants, especially the around 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. During the race, he issued an ultimatum for them to leave before the new term begins or face deportation.

His proposals featured Trump-inspired measures such as building camps, high walls, security fences, and increasing the armed forces presence on the northernmost frontier.

Within a Broader Shift

Numerous analysts view Kast's win as fitting into a larger conservative trend in South America, coming after this year's electoral outcomes in nations like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other analysts further view it as a extension of the established alternation of power between left and right-wing administrations since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990.

Leading Without a Solid Mandate

In spite of his decisive popular vote win, Kast will not have an clear majority in the legislature, neither in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, even if various conservative parties are grouped together.

This legislative reality may complicate his agenda, such as a vow to reduce public spending by a significant sum within a year and a half—a measure for which he has yet to detailed specifics.

"We have many things about what a Kast administration will be that we don't know because he has not explained how he will do them," commented a political expert.

The analyst stated, "Regarding fiscal matters, it is very likely we will see austerity policies associated with the right-wing. However the area with much less uncertainty is on security policy, because that has been his central theme during the campaign."