Trump admirer holds upper hand in Chile race

A hard-right former lawmaker and admirer of President Trump held the upper hand as Chile headed to a polarizing presidential runoff against a member of Chile's Communist Party representing the incumbent government.

- BY ISABEL DEBRE

CRISTOBAL ESCOBAR Associated Press

JOSÉ Antonio Kast seems to be in pole position in Chile's presidential race after about 70% of first-round votes went to conservatives.

José Antonio Kast, an ultraconservative lawyer opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage, appears to be in pole position after about 70% of votes went to right-wing candidates in Sunday's first round. Many Chileans worry about organized crime, illegal immigration and unemployment in one of Latin America's safest and most prosperous nations.

The father of nine, who pushed his traditional Catholic beliefs and nostalgia for aspects of Chile's brutal dictatorship into the political mainstream after founding his own Republican Party in 2019, came in second with nearly 24% of the vote. He campaigned on plans to crack down on gang violence, build a giant border wall and deport tens of thousands of immigrants.

Jeannette Jara, a former labor minister in President Gabriel Boric's left-wing government, eked out a narrower-than-expected lead with 27% of the vote. She wants to expand Chile's social safety net and tackle money laundering and drug trafficking to stem organized crime.

Neither contender received more than 50% of the overall vote count, sending the poll to a second round of voting on Dec. 14.

'We needed a safe candidate'

The mood was ebullient at Kast's campaign headquarters early Monday, where young Chileans wrapped in national flags drank beer and rolled cigarettes as workers took down the stage where Kast had pledged a radical transformation in the country's security.

"We needed a safe candidate, someone with a firm hand to bring economic growth, attract investment, create jobs, strengthen the police and give them support," said Ignacio Rojas, 20. "Chile isn't safe anymore, and he'll change that."