A ‘polarised’ race between Kast, Jara

A CANDIDATE from Chile's Communist Party and a far-right veteran politician are seen as the frontrunners in the South American country’s upcoming November 16 presidential election, analysts say, an illustration of the country’s current political polarisation.

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Eight candidates are running in total, according to a tally ahead of registration deadline, with right-wing politician Jose Antonio Kast - who has run for the top office twice before - and leftist Jeannette Jara leading the polls.

Conservative ex-mayor Evelyn Matthei and economist Franco Parisi are currently jockeying for third place.

Polls show a close race between Kast and Jara, who represent opposite sides of the political spectrum.

“It’s a new stage of polarisation; Mireya Davila, an analyst and academic at the University of Chile, said.

Kast lost the last presidential runoff in 2021 to leftwing candidate Gabriel Boric, who was elected in the aftermath of 2019s social unrest and the Covid-19 pandemic.