Far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast took office as Chile's president and promised an "emergency government" to fight crime and irregular migration to deliver order, liberty and justice to Chileans, El Pais reported on March 11.

After the presidency of leftist Gabriel Boric, Kast's election marks Chile's sharpest swing to the right since its return to democracy in 1990. Kast defeated Boric's ally and communist party member Jeannette Jara in December 2025 amid broad discontent with rising crime levels and illegal migration. His first decrees aimed to boost border protection, audit spending and reduce bureaucracy. Kast attended the United States' Shield of the Americas summit on March 7.