• José Antonio Kast defeats Jeannette Jara, winning 58% of votes in Chile's presidential election.
• Kast's campaign focused on curbing crime and deporting undocumented immigrants.
• His victory signifies a far-right shift in Chilean politics, the first since the Pinochet era.

Chile has elected its most right-wing president in 35 years as ultraconservative José Antonio Kast secured 58.2% of the votes, decisively defeating left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara, who garnered 41.8%. This election marks the first time a supporter of former dictator Augusto Pinochet has won the presidency through democratic means, reflecting a significant shift in the political landscape amid rising discontent regarding crime and immigration policies, according to SCMP, Los Angeles Times, Le Monde, and Al Jazeera.

Kast, a lifelong critic of left-wing policies, promised to tackle the rise of organized crime and handle the influx of illegal immigrants, pledging to deport hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. His political rise reflects a broader trend across Latin America, where right-wing leaders have recently won power in various nations, tapping into economic anxieties and security concerns, according to Latin America Reports and Le Monde.

Jara, who served as labor minister under outgoing President Gabriel Boric, conceded defeat shortly after the polls closed, stating that "democracy spoke loud and clear." Her leftist coalition represented continuity, contrasting sharply with Kast's aggressive stance on crime and immigration, which resonated with many Chileans eager for change after years of perceived governmental inaction, according to Latin America Reports, Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera.

The incoming president has strong support from various segments of the population, including business leaders looking to stabilize the economy and middle-class families concerned about public safety and crime rates, which have notably escalated in recent years. Kast's hardline immigration policies, influenced by the likes of U.S. President Donald Trump, indicate a nationwide shift among voters who feel threatened by escalating crime fueled by organized gangs from other countries, reports SCMP, Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera.