Chile’s new president has praised Pinochet, a dictator. What does it mean? | Politics News
Kast’s Presidential Image Stirs Debate on Chile’s Political Past
SANTIAGO, Chile — Two weeks prior to his inauguration as president, Jose Antonio Kast revealed his official portrait on February 24, generating significant discussion among observers of Chilean politics. In the image, the 60-year-old leader is seen in a blue suit adorned with the presidential sash, prominently featuring the Chilean coat of arms stitched at its center.
This emblematic display is noteworthy, as no president since the fall of Augusto Pinochet in 1990 has posed with the coat of arms on their sash; Pinochet was the last leader to do so. For critics, this imagery reflects Kast’s proclaimed admiration for the former dictator, raising questions about the implications of his leadership.
With Kast set to be sworn in on Wednesday, political analysts are evaluating whether his references to Pinochet signal a yearning for the authoritarian past or a broader dissatisfaction with Chile’s current political landscape.
Maria Fernanda Garcia, director of Chile’s Museum of Memory and Human Rights, observes a global trend leaning towards more hardline policies. She attributes this shift to a perceived crisis in democracy, which has led some to romanticize dark chapters of history, despite the lessons learned from conflicts and dictatorships worldwide. Garcia notes that younger generations are increasingly swayed by reactionary narratives propagated on social media, stating, “Rebellion these days is not against war or dictatorships, but against what is established.”
Kast secured his position in December’s presidential election with the highest voter turnout in Chilean history, garnering over 58 percent of the vote from more than seven million ballots cast. His campaign ignited controversy due to past statements expressing admiration for Pinochet, including a remark suggesting that, had Pinochet been alive, he would have voted for Kast.
Pinochet’s 1973 military coup removed Chile’s democratically elected leader and initiated a 17-year regime characterized by widespread repression, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and thousands more imprisoned and tortured. Though Kast was a youth during the dictatorship, he participated in efforts to support Pinochet’s continuance in power. While he has attempted to distance himself from those ties during his recent campaign, associations with Pinochet have been a recurring theme throughout his political career.
Felipe Gonzalez Mac-Conell, author of Kast: The Chilean Far-Right, argues that Kast’s political ideology is intertwined with the legacy of Pinochet’s government, specifically its neoliberal economic policies and conservative stances on social issues. He notes that several former allies of Pinochet have prominent roles in Kast’s incoming administration, including the recent appointments of Fernando Barros and Fernando Rabat, former lawyers for Pinochet, as ministers of defense and justice, respectively.
The enduring legacy of the Pinochet era remains a contentious issue in Chilean society. Although a 2023 poll from Mori Chile revealed that more than a third of respondents believe the 1973 coup was justified, the extent of support for dictatorship remains uncertain. During the 2025 campaign, fellow far-right candidate Johannes Kaiser also expressed support for Pinochet, receiving 14 percent of the vote in the first round.
Mac-Conell asserts that widespread voter support for Kast stems more from dissatisfaction with the left and frustrations with outgoing President Gabriel Boric than from any nostalgic reverence for Pinochet. Kast’s establishment of his own conservative party serves as an alternative to the mainstream political system, further reflecting voter discontent with the status quo.
Political scientist Jose Alejandro Godoy notes that Kast’s rise may signify a broader trend across Latin America, where leaders have begun to embrace past dictatorships amid growing disillusionment with contemporary politics. Godoy points to Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and Javier Milei in Argentina, who have both downplayed the atrocities committed during their countries’ military regimes. He posits that the appeal of such leaders is not based on a longing for past models but rather an instinct for order amidst widespread political apathy.
As Chile navigates this complex political terrain, Kast’s administration may represent both a continuation of historical narratives surrounding dictatorship and an urgent response to prevailing social issues, including crime and immigration. Godoy warns that the pursuit of security must not come at the expense of civil liberties, urging vigilance as the nation transitions into this new political era.
