Chile’s Kast sworn in as president in right-wing shift

VALPARAISO, Chile — Jose Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile’s president on Wednesday, ushering in the country’s sharpest shift to the right in decades. The transition and Kast’s immediate policy decrees were confirmed across Reuters, PBS NewsHour, U.S. News & World Report, WSLS (AP), ClickOnDetroit (AP), and The Guardian. We prioritize facts independently verified across multiple reputable sources.

Mutually confirmed facts across these sources include:

• Jose Antonio Kast was officially sworn in as president of Chile on Wednesday, succeeding Gabriel Boric.
• Kast immediately signed several presidential decrees focused on increasing border security in Chile’s northern desert region and conducting a full audit of state finances.
• The new administration plans to submit a tax reform bill in April that proposes lowering business taxes from 27% to 23% over four years.
• Kast’s platform centers on a crackdown on illegal immigration, reducing organized crime, and boosting economic growth through deregulation and spending cuts.

Additional Details Reported

Protesters gathered in Valparaiso and Santiago on inauguration day, clashing with police before being dispersed by water cannons and tear gas.

The inauguration took place amid heightened security concerns following a shooting that left a police officer brain dead in the southern city of Puerto Varas.

Kast faces a divided Congress that may complicate his ability to pass his legislative agenda quickly.

The political shift in Chile follows Kast’s recent participation in regional security meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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