Chile begins its most conservative era with Kast’s ‘emergency government’

José Antonio Kast assumed the presidency of Chile on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the most right-wing head of state since the return to democracy in 1990. At the National Congress in Valparaíso, the 60-year-old lawyer received the presidential sash with an embroidered coat of arms. No leader since the return of democracy had incorporated this institutional symbol; the last to do so was dictator Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).

Instead of making a formal promise, Kast swore to faithfully carry out his duties — an act with a religious undertone, since it implies accepting the role before God. To signal that his team will begin working immediately on the promised emergency government, the new president has scheduled on‑site activities for Wednesday afternoon and will move into La Moneda Palace on Wednesday night.

Gabriel Boric welcomed Kast — his ideological opposite — without a tie and to applause. Kast, wearing a tie, appeared relaxed as he walked toward the podium alongside the first lady, Pía Adriasola, even breaking protocol to personally greet foreign and local authorities seated in the front row. After handing over the presidential sash, Boric, now a private citizen, left the historic building accompanied by his partner Paula Carrasco, his stepson, and carrying his eight‑month‑old daughter Violeta in his arms.

In front of more than 1,150 attendees, the new president formally appointed his 24 ministers — 13 men and 11 women — calling each of them individually to assume their posts. After nearly 50 minutes of ceremony, he left the Congress building, once again greeting the dignitaries seated in the front row. One of his warmest gestures was an embrace with Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. Other international figures present included Spain’s King Felipe VI and the presidents of Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Kast, who spent the night at the presidential residence of Cerro Castillo in Viña del Mar, had planned an early bilateral meeting with Milei, but it was cancelled due to scheduling issues. Another meeting had been arranged with Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who had initially confirmed his attendance but later cancelled his trip citing “scheduling reasons.” His withdrawal came just hours after it became public that Kast’s team had invited Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — Lula’s likely rival in Brazil’s next presidential race — to the inauguration, an invitation Bolsonaro accepted.

The day began with positive news for Kast: Chile’s traditional right-wing parties secured administrative control of both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Newly sworn‑in legislators elected members of the Chile Vamos coalition to preside over both bodies. In the Senate, after an agreement with center‑left parties, Paulina Núñez from the National Renewal (RN) party was chosen as president of the Senate. In the more fragmented lower house, Jorge Alessandri from the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) prevailed over Pamela Jiles of the populist Party of the People (PDG), who had the backing of left‑wing lawmakers.

Together, the right‑wing blocs hold 76 of the 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. They fall short of an outright majority because the PDG controls 14 seats, making it a pivotal force in the chamber’s balance of power.

One of Kast’s first actions on Wednesday was to resign from the Republican Party, the far‑right political organization he founded in 2019. He had already announced that he would withdraw from the party as a gesture meant to unify the broader right‑wing coalition that backed him unanimously in the December runoff, where he defeated the left‑wing candidate Jeannette Jara.

Kast is not the first president to leave his political party before taking office. Former president Sebastián Piñera (2010-2014 and 2018-2022), resigned from National Renewal before beginning his first term. And Patricio Aylwin (1990-1994) similarly left the Christian Democratic Party membership before assuming office.

Before heading to the National Congress, Kast took part in the official photograph with his ministers at the Cerro Castillo Palace, marking the first formal image of the new cabinet. During that appearance, he made an unusual public statement about an attack on a police officer in Punta Arenas.

“When a Carabineros officer is attacked, all of us are attacked. This is going to change, because we are going to pursue them, find them, imprison them, and apply the full force of the law, without ambiguity,” he said, in a veiled criticism of the Boric administration.

After a lunch with international leaders attending the inauguration, the new president planned to travel to Santiago for his first on‑site activity: opening the school year at Liceo Augusto D’Halmar in the Ñuñoa district.

A second event gesture is scheduled for Thursday, when Kast will visit a primary healthcare center to declare an oncology emergency, accompanied by several female ministers.

The second step he plans to take to advance his agenda will come on Thursday, when he will declare a cancer emergency from a Family Health Center in Chile, accompanied by several of his female ministers.

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