Right and far-right leaders across Latin America and the world celebrated the victory of José Antonio Kast in the Chilean presidential runoff, highlighting the advance of that ideology in South America.
According to Chile’s electoral authorities, Kast, leader of far-right Partido Republicano, who has made public statements supporting dictator Augusto Pinochet in the past, won with 58% of the vote against left-wing Jeannette Jara (42%), the candidate who aimed to continue with President Gabriel Boric’s political program.
Jara had come in first in the general election. However, she was the only left-wing candidate, while there were three right-wing opponents with chances of making it to the run-off, which meant Kast was able to pick up the other right-wing votes to become Chile’s next president.
He is scheduled to replace Boric — who was not allowed to run for reelection based on current electoral rules — in March, and govern the Andean country until 2030.
Kast is the son of Michael Martin Kast, a German military officer who served in the Nazi army until migrating to Chile after World War II. He had run for president twice before, including in 2021, when he narrowly lost to the current head of state.
The far-right leader’s triumph represents a sharp U-turn after four years of Boric’s left-leaning, progressive government.
“Thank you, Chile. Let’s get to work!” Kast wrote on X on Sunday night.
In a press conference, President Boric said he spoke with Kast on the phone to wish him “success” and to grant his government’s support during the transition period. With that goal, he invited Kast to a meeting at the government palace on Monday.
Jara said in an X post that “democracy spoke loud and clear” and that she had also called Kast to wish him success, “for Chile’s sake.”
Argentina celebrates Argentine libertarian President Javier Milei said he felt “great joy” over his friend Kast’s “crushing triumph,” and stated it means the region gives a new step towards the “defense of life, freedom and private property.”
“I am sure we will work together so that the Americas can embrace the ideas of freedom and liberate ourselves off the 21st century socialist yoke,” Milei wrote on X.
In another post, he shared a picture of a map of South America showing which countries have right and left-leaning governments, after Kast’s victory. “The left backtracks, freedom advances,” he said, referring to the name of his own party, La Libertad Avanza.
Several members of Milei’s government also congratulated Kast, including Economy and Interior ministers Luis Caputo and Diego Santilli.
The foreign ministry issued a statement celebrating the result in the name of Argentina and said they look forward to collaborating with Chile’s next authorities in issues including “the fight against drug-trafficking and international organized crime, the promotion of trade and investments, and cooperation in key sectors of the economy.”
Reactions in the region Other presidents of the region congratulated Kast, including Paraguayan leader Santiago Peña — a moderate right-wing politician who mostly agrees with Milei’s economic views — and Bolivia’s new capitalist President Rodrigo Paz Pereira.
Brazil’s Lula da Silva, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum — both of whom are left-leaning — wished Kast success and said they look forward to deepening their bilateral relationships with Chile.
In Brazil, the family of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro — currently in jail for leading a coup attempt against Da Silva — declared themselves ecstatic over Kast’s victory. While Bolsonaro himself did not make any posts from prison, his sons Eduardo, Carlos and Flavio took to social media to celebrate.
“The right wins in Chile! @joseantoniokast was elected president, and in 2026 so will @FlavioBolsonaro in Brazil!” wrote national deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro on X, pushing for his brother’s presidential campaign. He attached a video of Kast, Milei and himself saying “don’t worry, it will all be fine, very fine!” during the far-right conference CPAC in Brazil in 2022.
Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado sent her “affection and congratulations” to Kast, saying she wishes him to support “an orderly transition towards democracy in Venezuela” and “consolidating a secure, prosperous and free hemisphere.”
The right rejoices The far-right in Europe was also happy with the result. Santiago Abascal, leader of Spanish radical right party Vox, congratulated the people of Chile on X, “for having chosen, with a clear and overwhelming decision, truth, freedom and prosperity”. The party also shared a video of Kast speaking at a Vox conference saying he hoped to be present in the 2026 event as president, with Abascal as head of the Spanish government.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a photo on X of her posing with Kast to celebrate his triumph. “Italy and Chile are friends, and I trust that our bilateral relations will become even stronger, starting with economic cooperation and the fight against illegal immigration,” she said.
Mi congratulo con l’amico @joseantoniokast per il grande successo ottenuto alle elezioni presidenziali del Cile.
Italia e Cile sono nazioni amiche e sono certa che le nostre relazioni bilaterali diventeranno ancora più forti, a partire da temi come la cooperazione economica e il… pic.twitter.com/9hPN0c3CrQ
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) December 15, 2025 United States President Donald Trump did not comment on the result, although Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement congratulating Kast. “Under his leadership, we are confident Chile will advance shared priorities to include strengthening public security, ending illegal immigration, and revitalizing our commercial relationship,” the statement said.