José Antonio Kast was sworn in on Wednesday as Chile’s new president, completing the country’s most pronounced political swing to the right since democracy returned in 1990. The inauguration took place at the National Congress in Valparaíso, where Kast and his incoming Cabinet took their oaths after a landslide win in the 2025 election.
Inauguration Draws Regional Leaders
The ceremony brought a visible lineup of international guests, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa and Spain’s King Felipe VI. María Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also attended.
Notable absences included Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. The United States sent a modest delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Cabinet Named as Boric Exits Weakly
After Senate President Paulina Núñez placed the presidential sash on Kast, the new administration confirmed key appointments. José Francisco Pérez Mackenna took office as chancellor, María Trinidad Steinert became minister of security, and Fernando Rabat assumed the role of minister of justice and human rights.
Kast takes over from outgoing leftist president Gabriel Boric, who leaves office with historically low approval. A Cadem survey published this week said 53% of respondents viewed Boric’s government as the worst since the democratic transition.
Crime, Migration and a U.S. Tilt
Kast, a veteran conservative often compared to Donald Trump, defeated government-backed communist candidate Jeannette Jara in December, running on tougher policies on organized crime and illegal immigration. His agenda includes criminalizing illegal entry, expanding deportations and building border barriers.
The new president has also signaled a warmer posture toward Washington. His transition was strained by a dispute with the outgoing administration over a proposed submarine cable project linking Chile and China, an initiative that drew U.S. criticism and added to already tense relations under Boric. Trump has publicly shown preference for Kast, including inviting him to last weekend’s “Shield of the Americas” gathering in Miami alongside other right-leaning regional leaders.
Analysts say the next test is governability. With a divided parliament, the administration’s early momentum may determine whether lawmakers align or obstruct. Mariano Machado of Verisk Maplecroft said the first 100 days will be decisive for establishing direction and political traction.