Chile is gearing up for the decisive Election Day tomorrow, November 16, when the first round of voting for the 2025 presidential election will take place. In this process, citizens must choose between major candidates representing both the left and right sides of the political spectrum. Voting will be required. This amendment could have an impact on the outcome, given that it will ensure more public participation than in previous elections.
Among the most important candidates is Representative Janet Jara. communist party He is also the leader of the United for Chile coalition. In an interview with RPP“Even though she is from the Communist Party, she is probably the most powerful member of the party,” said José Luis Pérez Guadalupe, a former interior minister in Ollanta Humala’s government and Chile’s election observer. far left“She was chosen not so much because of her Communist Party background, but because of her personality.” Hara, who also served as Labor Minister in Gabriel Bolić’s government, has tried to get closer to the political center, including copying a certain style of Michelle Bachelet, to expand her voter base.
The right-wing bloc has three main candidates: Republican José Antonio Casto; Evelyn Massey UDI’s Johannes Kaisera representative of the so-called Germanic triad. Perez-Guadalupe said the campaign is characterized by its focus on national security and illegal immigration, issues that dominate Chile’s public discourse.
According to Perez-Guadalupe’s analysis, opinion polls show a relatively stable outlook until the end of the election. Janet Jara came out on top in the first round, followed by José Antonio Casto, Evelyn Mattei and Johannes Kaiser, although the compulsory nature of voting could lead to unexpected results. “All polls show that he will win in the first round,” the former minister said.
he compulsory voting This represents a significant change compared to previous elections, where participation depended on citizens’ personal motivations. This factor may increase the number of votes. traditional field While this could benefit Jara, it could also create a more uncertain scenario for right-wing candidates.
Johannes Kaiser attracted much attention for his radical and controversial speeches. Perez Guadalupe explained: Speech is xenophobic and misogynisticvery similar to Trump’s and Bolsonaro’s policies,” sparking mixed reactions among Chileans. This radical approach is also reflected in his proposals on national security and immigration, including expulsion policies for undocumented migrants, particularly Venezuelans and Colombians.
Election observers compared Johannes Kaiser’s character to other prominent Peruvian politicians, saying: RLA mix and philip buttersgo to the right, just like Bolsonaro, ”Perez-Guadalupe explained the style confrontational and candidate controversy. This comparison reveals how extremist speech can attract certain segments of the electorate while provoking rejection in others.
According to Pérez-Guadalupe’s analysis, this strong-arm position is also echoed by José Antonio Casto, to a lesser extent, who has proposed criminalizing illegal immigration and setting clear deadlines for admitting immigrants. expulsion of foreigners Items that were entered through illegal means. “Mr. Casto proposes expelling all Venezuelans and Colombians who are in the country illegally and setting a clear deadline for their departure.” This strategy reflects the conservative approach to security and immigration that is central to Chile’s right-wing campaign.
national anxiety and illegal immigration has become a major theme of the campaign, comparable to discussions about organized crime in other countries in the region. “Compared to the pandemic, the virus was the same, but the damage depended on each country’s capacity. The same thing is happening in Peru and Chile,” said Pérez Guadalupe, a political science researcher and doctor at Del Pacifico University. extortion actespecially alien crime in Venezuela. ”
The former minister emphasized that: Chile It has a more unified organizational structure regarding security and crime compared to Peru, where separation of powers complicates the management of organized crime. This background partly explains the popularity of heavy-handed speeches by certain right-wing candidates seeking to attract voters concerned about safety and security.
About The Author
