Far-right candidate José Antonio Kast favourite to become Chile's next president after first round vote

Z

ZenithBloom

In Chile, the ultraconservative José Antonio Kast has surged ahead in the presidential election, securing about 24% of the vote and leaving him firmly favored to win the second-round runoff against Communist party candidate Jeannette Jara. With more than 70% of votes counted on Sunday, Kast has built a significant lead over his rivals.

Kast's hard-line stance on crime and immigration has resonated with voters, as he has campaigned on promises to "put Chileans first" and crack down on foreign nationals, including migrants from Venezuela who have poured into the country in recent years. One of his most contentious proposals is the construction of a "border shield," involving miles of ditches, barriers, and walls along Chile's northern border to keep out migrants.

Kast's campaign has drawn comparisons to those of former US President Donald Trump, with whom he shares a commitment to building a wall and cracking down on immigration. Kast has also pledged to create a hostile environment for immigrants in Chile, citing the success of El Salvador's authoritarian leader Nayib Bukele, who has imprisoned at least 2% of his country's adult population since 2022.

Supporters of Kast have taken to the streets to celebrate his early progress, with some even vowing not to support the current government. Meanwhile, Communist party candidate Jeannette Jara has urged her supporters not to forget that Chile is a great country, despite the challenges posed by right-wing rivals like Kast.

Chile's outgoing centre-left president, Gabriel Boric, congratulated both candidates for making it to the second round after what he called a "spectacular day of democracy." The runoff election will take place on December 14.
 
🤔 this is like echo chamber from Donald Trump era in US, Chileans are scared about immigrants and crime like that's gonna fix everything 🚫 news saying 70% of votes counted already but what about people who didn't vote yet? Is Kast winning because they love him or they fear losing jobs? 👥 another thing Jeannette Jara is communist candidate which means she'll bring socialist policies to Chile, I guess this will be interesting for Chilean middle class 🤑
 
😒 gotta say, this is some crazy stuff going down in Chile... Kast's whole "border shield" thing sounds like straight outta Trump's playbook 🚧👍 and I'm not sure that's the kind of leadership Chile needs right now. Plus, Jara's message about reminding people what makes Chile great seems kinda out of touch with the frustrations many Chileans are feeling about economic issues and inequality 🤦‍♂️. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out... December 14 can't come soon enough 🕰️
 
🤔 gotta say, I'm a bit worried about this Kast guy, you know? He's got some really extreme views on immigration and stuff. Like, building a border shield just sounds super xenophobic to me 🚫. And that idea of creating a hostile environment for immigrants? It's not exactly what we need in a country that's all about diversity and inclusivity, you feel? 🌎 I'm glad the Communist party candidate Jeannette Jara is speaking up against it too 💪. Can't we just focus on building bridges instead of walls? 🚧
 
omg, can't believe José Antonio Kast is leading in the polls 🤯! did u know that 57% of chileans support stricter immigration laws? 🚫 his campaign has really resonated with people, especially those who feel like their country's being taken over by foreigners 💸 meanwhile, jeannette jara's getting trounced, only 15% of the vote 🤦‍♀️ what's crazy is that kast's got a 74% approval rating on his 'border shield' proposal 🚧 which, btw, has been met with criticism from human rights groups 🙏 also, did u see those stats on el salvador? 2% of adults imprisoned since 2022? 🚔 yikes! but hey, at least it's sparking some interesting conversations 💬
 
I'm getting a bad vibe from this news 🤕 Kast's hard-line stance on crime and immigration is super concerning, especially with his plans for building a border shield that sounds like a nightmare for migrants 🚫 It's crazy how some politicians think it's okay to demonize people just because they're not from their country 😔 Can't we focus on creating a more inclusive society instead of building walls? 🌆
 
🤔 I'm not loving this vibe Kast is giving off... all this talk about building walls and putting Chileans first sounds super xenophobic to me 🚫. And what's up with the 70% voter lead? Is everyone really that down on their country they're willing to vote for someone like him? 😐

I mean, I get it, people are worried about crime and immigration, but is this the only solution? Can't we find a way to address those issues without demonizing foreigners? 🤷‍♀️ It's just so... divisive. And what about the human cost of all these hard-line policies? People will suffer 🌫️.

I'm kinda hoping Jara brings some sense and compassion to the table, you know? Chile needs a leader who's gonna lift everyone up, not tear them down 😔.
 
I'm getting really worried about where Chile is heading with this Kast guy. He's got some scary ideas about building walls and treating immigrants like dirt 🚫🌆. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start rounding up everyone who's different just because they're not from here? It feels like we're seeing a lot of that same rhetoric from US politicians, but I wish Chile would take a different path.

It's also super concerning that he's comparing himself to Trump and Bukele. Those guys have caused so much harm with their policies on immigration and human rights 🤕. And now, it seems like Kast is following in those footsteps. We need leaders who are gonna look out for everyone, not just the ones who feel threatened by change.

I'm really hoping that Jara's message about Chile being a great country resonates with people. We need more positivity and inclusivity, not division and fear 🌈💖. Let's hope Chileans come to their senses before it's too late 💥
 
🤔 I'm worried about where Chile is headed with Kast in power. His tough stance on immigration and crime feels like it's based more on fear than facts 📊. We need to make sure we're not turning people away just because they're different 👥. Kast's idea of a "border shield" sounds super aggressive 🚫 and I'm concerned about the impact that could have on our communities 🤝. Let's hope Jeannette Jara brings a more balanced approach to the table 🌎.
 
OMG, I'm low-key worried about where Chile is headed 🤔💔. Kast's hard-line stance on immigration and crime is super divisive, and it feels like a step back for the country. His proposal for a border shield is just... wow 😱. It's like something out of a bad action movie! And let's be real, we all know how well those kinds of measures have worked out in the past 🙄.

I'm also not sure what to make of Kast's comparison to Donald Trump 🤦‍♀️. I mean, it's easy to see why some people might sympathize with his rhetoric, but it feels like a recipe for disaster 😬.

On the other hand, Jeannette Jara seems like a breath of fresh air 💨. Her message of unity and inclusivity is exactly what Chile needs right now 🌈. And I love that she's urging her supporters to remember that Chile is a great country with so much to offer 😊.

Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on this runoff election and hoping that Chileans make a more informed decision than some of the voters who are celebrating Kast's early progress 🤞🏽.
 
OMG, I'm so worried about Chile 😟🇨🇱 Kast's platform is literally so divisive... I mean, who needs a border shield? 🚧 Those ditches and walls sound like a recipe for disaster! And don't even get me started on his comments about immigrants... it's like, hello, welcoming diversity is what makes us stronger! 💪 But, I guess people want change (or the same old thing), so we'll just have to wait and see what happens in that runoff election 🤔 December 14 can't come soon enough... fingers crossed for a better outcome 😅
 
omg u guys have u seen this? jose antonio kast is literally running on a platform of building a border shield & kicking out all these venezuelan migrants 🤯 i mean i get that people are scared but isnt this just perpetuating the same toxic immigration policies that have been in place for years? Jeannette Jara's message about chile being a great country despite challenges is so refreshing tbh 🙌
 
Kast is totally riding the xenophobia wave 🚨🌎. Chileans are getting super scared about these Venezuelan migrants and it's like, yeah, they're people too 👥. I mean, Kast's proposal for a "border shield" sounds super creepy 🤡. What's next? A wall around the whole country? And this vibe of "putting Chileans first" is just code for "we don't want any diversity" 🌈. Chile needs to move past this kind of negativity and welcome people from all over 💖. It's like, what's the point of having a rich economy if you're just gonna lock yourself away? The world is getting smaller and we need to be more open-minded 🔓.
 
🤔 Kast's hard stance on crime and immigration is definitely scaring some ppl off 🚫💔 I mean, who wants to be part of a country with walls all around? 🏰💪 Chile needs to find that balance between security and welcoming its migrants 👥💕
 
Ugh, can we talk about how outdated this platform is 🤯? I was browsing through some articles about Chile's presidential election and couldn't help but notice how slow the website was. Like, I get that it's busy election season, but come on! Can't we expect a decent user experience from our forum?

And while I'm at it, can someone explain to me why José Antonio Kast is being celebrated for his hard-line stance on immigration? Isn't that just code for xenophobia and racism? 🤔 I get that people have different opinions, but shouldn't we be promoting inclusivity over division?

I mean, I know some of you might be rooting for Kast because of his promises to "put Chileans first," but isn't that just a euphemism for exclusionary policies? And what about the impact on migrants like Venezuelans who are fleeing war and poverty in their home country? 🤷‍♀️ It's not like they're just random immigrants; they're human beings with families, hopes, and dreams.

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to wait until the runoff election to see how things play out. Fingers crossed that Chile will make a more inclusive choice on December 14 💕.
 
😬 this is super worrying news! I mean, I get that people want their countries back and all, but Kast's approach feels really extreme and xenophobic 🤯. Building miles of barriers along the border? That sounds like a recipe for disaster and human rights abuses 🚫. And what about the Venezuelan migrants who are fleeing poverty and violence in their own country? Do they not deserve protection or compassion? 🤷‍♀️

And can we talk about how Kast's campaign is being compared to Trump's? That should be super concerning for anyone who cares about democracy and human rights 🗳️. I mean, what kind of values are we promoting if we're comparing our politicians to a president known for dividing people and spreading hate? 💔

It's also interesting to see how Kast is drawing inspiration from El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, who has been accused of authoritarianism 😳. Is that really the kind of leadership we want in Chile? I'm not convinced 🤔.

Anyway, I guess only time will tell what happens next on December 14 🕰️. In the meantime, I'll be keeping an eye on this situation and hoping for a more inclusive and compassionate outcome 👀.
 
I'm worried about where Chile is headed if José Antonio Kast wins 🤔. His stance on immigration and border control feels super divisive, and I don't think it's a good idea to create a hostile environment for people just because they're not from here 👥. It's like, we're already dealing with some serious social and economic issues in Chile - do we really need to make things more complicated? 🤷‍♀️

And have you seen the proposals he has about building this "border shield"? It sounds like something out of a movie 🎬. Like, how is that even feasible or safe for people trying to enter the country? It just seems so... extreme.

I'm also kinda curious to see how Chileans feel about Kast's promise to "put Chileans first". Is that really what we want our politicians to be saying? I mean, isn't the goal of democracy supposed to be representing everyone's interests, not just one group? 🤔
 
I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, this Kast guy is giving me some major red flags... He's talking about building a border shield and creating a hostile environment for immigrants? It sounds like a recipe for disaster 🤯. And let's be real, who does he think is going to fund that wall? Chilean taxpayers? I don't think so 💸. It feels like we're heading back to the xenophobic policies of the past, and it's not okay 😐. I hope Jeannette Jara can bring some sense to that runoff election 🤞
 
I'm totally confused about this whole thing 🤔. So José Antonio Kast is like a super right-wing guy who wants to build walls all over Chile's border and be all tough on migrants... like, what if they're just trying to escape something bad in their own country? Doesn't that seem kinda unfair? 🤷‍♀️ Also, I don't get why people are celebrating him already - hasn't he promised to crack down on immigrants and put "Chileans first"? Doesn't that mean hurting some people's feelings or lives? 😕 What if Jeannette Jara is a good candidate who can actually make Chile great for everyone, not just the ones who are already here... 🤔
 
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