Chile's Kast Shifts Focus to Economy as Security Promises Falter in First 100 Days

Chilean President José Antonio Kast entered office in March 2024 with campaign promises of zero tolerance for organized crime and irregular immigration, yet during his first 100 days he shifted his governmental focus toward economic restructuring. The pivot reflected mounting pressures as controversies in the security sector forced the resignation of Security Minister Trinidad Steinert in May, while ambitious public spending cuts generated significant political blowback.

The combination of security failures and economic restructuring led to a sharp decline in presidential approval ratings. Kast's approval dropped from 47.5 percent when he took office in March to 31 percent by early June, according to polling firm Pulso Ciudadano. Political analyst Catalina Calderón of the Women's Equality Center noted that Kast won the election by presenting simplistic messages linking security, migration, and the economy, but has failed to deliver on those promises once in power.

On security, progress has been minimal. The Security Ministry admitted it lacked a comprehensive plan to combat organized crime, contributing to Steinert's departure. Her successor, Martín Arrau, has similarly failed to present a strategic roadmap and acknowledged that the National Security Policy established under previous progressive President Gabriel Boric remains in effect. The government has not submitted to Congress the promised legislation to strengthen security measures, and critical initiatives—including increased penalties for organized crime members and enhanced prosecution of criminal organization membership—remain stalled.

Immigration, another cornerstone of Kast's campaign, has also faced setbacks. He promised to criminalize irregular immigration, construct physical barriers at borders, and execute mass deportations of the approximately 300,000 undocumented immigrants in Chile, many from Venezuela. However, legal and administrative obstacles have prevented implementation. Political analyst Gilberto Aranda explained that the executive lacks the necessary legal tools for expedited deportations, particularly since irregular status is not itself a crime and deportation processes require bilateral cooperation—complicated by Chile's frozen diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Kast announced a "countdown" to deport the undocumented population but later described it as metaphorical. Concrete measures have been limited to construction of a symbolic border trench in the north and participation in a regional accord with four other countries to increase joint efforts against organized crime.