{"id":1044182,"date":"2021-11-22T12:44:25","date_gmt":"2021-11-22T17:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1044182"},"modified":"2021-11-22T12:44:29","modified_gmt":"2021-11-22T17:44:29","slug":"chile-hardline-conservative-wins-round-1-of-presidential-race-after-years-of-leftist-terrorism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chile-hardline-conservative-wins-round-1-of-presidential-race-after-years-of-leftist-terrorism\/","title":{"rendered":"Chile: Hardline Conservative Wins Round 1 of Presidential Race After Years of Leftist Terrorism"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fchile-hardline-conservative-wins-round-1-of-presidential-race-after-years-of-leftist-terrorism%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1044182&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">Conservative candidate Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast&nbsp;narrowly defeated communist-supported candidate Gabriel Boric on Sunday in the first round of presidential elections in Chile, setting the stage for a run-off vote in December lacking any centrist option.<\/p>\n<p>Chileans also took power away from the Congressional leftist coalitions, stripping the left of a plurality in the Senate and leaving its numbers significantly diminished in the lower chamber.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>Chile runs on a multi-party system, so the first round of presidential elections typically features a large number of candidates.<\/p>\n<p>In Congress, parties must make alliances with like-minded parties to promote their legislation as the competition among parties makes any one party having a majority rare.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18855738\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" readability=\"33\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-1236721858.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-18855738\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-1236721858-682x1024-1.jpg\" alt width=\"270\" height=\"405\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chilean presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast&nbsp; addresses supporters ERNESTO BENAVIDES\/AFP via Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The South American country has faced nearly three years of ongoing far-left rioting, looting, and terrorism, beginning in late 2019 allegedly as a response to current President Sebasti\u00e1n Pi\u00f1era\u2019s government considering fare hikes for the Santiago metro system. Pi\u00f1era, a \u201ccenter-right\u201d billionaire, ceded to nearly every far-left demand made since the terrorism began, including supporting a move to trash the nation\u2019s constitution and replace it with a document more favorable to socialism.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>While \u201cprotesters\u201d initially claimed they simply sought to stop metro fare hikes in the capital, claiming they disproportionately hurt the working class and students, they repeatedly firebombed and burned down churches and other cultural institutions that had nothing to do with the metro system. The nation\u2019s constitution does not address public transit.<\/p>\n<p>Kast founded his Republican Party in 2019 as an alternative to Pi\u00f1era\u2019s brand of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2020\/10\/24\/china-chilean-conservative-president-praise-crossing-of-the-strait-of-magellan-as-feat-of-globalization\/\">pro-China<\/a>, corporate politics. He is now running as part of the Christian Social Front, a coalition of several conservative and center-right parties. Boric is a member of the far-left Broad Front party and is running as part of the Approve Dignity coalition, which includes the Communist Party of Chile.<\/p>\n<p>With 100 percent of the votes in, Kast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pauta.cl\/politica\/elecciones-presidente-parlamentarias-2021-en-vivo-transmision-resultados\">received<\/a> the most votes of any candidate with 27.9 percent. Boric, coming in second, received 25.8 percent of the vote. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote or more, Chile\u2019s electoral system necessitates a run-off between the top two candidates.<\/p>\n<p>In Congress, the leftist coalition in the Senate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.t13.cl\/noticia\/elecciones-2021\/ex-ante\/politica\/el-nuevo-mapa-del-congreso-como-izquierda-perdio-mayoria-senado-y-retrocedio-camara\">lost<\/a> its majority. While retaining it in the Chamber of Deputies, it lost a significant number of members to the Republican Party and other conservative groups. Pi\u00f1era\u2019s independent coalition also lost representation.<\/p>\n<p>The loss in the Senate is particularly painful to the left because, as Chile\u2019s Tele13 noted, \u201cthey will no longer be able to, with their own votes, impeach a president.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The leftists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/10\/14\/chile-president-faces-impeachment-bid-pandora-papers\/\">impeached<\/a> Pi\u00f1era, after years of concessions to rioters, in October over alleged corruption.<\/p>\n<p>Following his victory on Sunday night, Kast defined the election as \u201ca choice between freedom and communism.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"15.85\">\n<p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Ganamos!<\/p>\n<p>Pero es solo el primer paso. Con mucha humildad, compromiso y disposici\u00f3n a escuchar, hoy comienza una nueva etapa.<\/p>\n<p>Mi amor por Chile es infinito y juntos vamos a recuperarlo, para construir un mejor pa\u00eds hacia el futuro.<\/p>\n<p>Gracias, de verdad. \u270c\ufe0f\ud83c\uddf1 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pU2b6us937\">pic.twitter.com\/pU2b6us937<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast Rist \ud83c\uddf1 (@joseantoniokast) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joseantoniokast\/status\/1462644878081286149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 22, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe have interpreted that a majority of Chileans want a calm and safe country,\u201d Kast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ambito.com\/mundo\/chile\/kast-vamos-elegir-libertad-y-comunismo-n5319956\">said<\/a> in his victory speech. \u201cIt is time for us to recover Chile \u2026 this December we are not just choosing a president, we are choosing between freedom and communism, between democracy and communism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.t13.cl\/noticia\/elecciones-2021\/politica\/kast-luego-del-triunfo-elecciones-vamos-elegir-democracia-y-comunismo-21-11-2021\">described<\/a> voter confidence in him as a sign of \u201chope\u201d in the nation and a step towards \u201cpeace, order, progress, and freedom.\u201d He specifically addressed the situation in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/es\/am%C3%A9ricas\/20211104-crece-la-tensi%C3%B3n-al-sur-de-chile-por-la-muerte-de-un-mapuche-en-enfrentamientos\">La Araucan\u00eda<\/a>, a region plagued by indigenous Mapuche <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/crime\/2021\/10\/15\/chile-indigenous-group-using-high-caliber-weapons-against-police\/\">terrorism<\/a>, as a priority for his prospective administration.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The conservative candidate\u2019s emphasis on peace and security was a hallmark of his campaign, which grew in popularity during the tumult of leftist riots in the past two years. Chilean outlet \u00c1mbito noted that, on Saturday, he argued with a foreign reporter over the repeated use of the term \u201cultra-right\u201d to describe his political ideology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t label me \u2018ultra-right-wing\u2019 because I am not,\u201d Kast reportedly said, \u201cI hope that you categorize me as a common-sense candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kast was one of the loudest voices in Chilean politics against riots erupting in Santiago in 2019 and continuing for at least a year, in a political scene where many described them as understandable political assemblies. Other conservative voices, though few at the time,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/latin-america\/2019\/12\/07\/chilean-interview-riots-santiago\/\">noted<\/a> that eyewitnesses had seen organized criminals handing out food and drugs to would-be looters and rioters in exchange for their participation in the violence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I see how the Chilean left has acted throughout history on the street, how they organize and react, it has nothing to do with what we are seeing now. Guys, for example, handing out food before the protests, alcohol, we assume drugs,\u201d Ren\u00e9 Barba, a councilman in a Santiago suburb, told Breitbart News in 2019. \u201cThere are people [at rioting sites] there waiting for them with food and before that, they give them drinks, so they\u2019re throwing parties in those places.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Among the many shocking images of the past two years were hollowed-out churches, some burned to the ground, presumably to protest public transit fares. In October 2020, a leftist terrorist group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/faith\/2020\/10\/22\/chile-leftists-vandalize-rubble-incinerated-church-satanic-graffiti\/\">burned<\/a> one of Santiago\u2019s most historic churches and vandalized it with satanic graffiti, including an inverted cross and the number \u201c666.\u201d The graffiti did not explain the link between satanic iconography and the Santiago public transit system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChileans, it is time to wake up. The left wants to see your country burn and start everything from zero. Defend your fatherland,\u201d Kast wrote on social media at the time.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"10.780487804878\">\n<p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Chilenos, es hora de despertar.<br \/>La izquierda quiere ver a tu pa\u00eds ardiendo y comenzar todo desde cero.<\/p>\n<p>Defiende tu Patria<br \/>Por Chile \ud83c\uddf1, Vota Rechazo! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tUC8dEJruC\">pic.twitter.com\/tUC8dEJruC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast Rist \ud83c\uddf1 (@joseantoniokast) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joseantoniokast\/status\/1317965670651494402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 18, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Rather than result in a cessation of terrorism, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/latin-america\/2020\/10\/19\/chile-churches-burn-left-demands-country-trash-its-constitution\/\">referendum<\/a> in October 2020 in which Chileans voted to trash their constitution triggered yet another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2020\/10\/26\/looting-vandalism-after-leftists-win-chile-election-destroy-constitution\/\">wave<\/a> of leftist mob violence, including attacks on police stations to prevent authorities from being able to address the violence.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to making an assertive response to organized violence a centerpiece of his campaign, Kast has been prolific on social media. In October, Kast appeared on the Chinese outlet Tiktok dressed as Obi Wan-Kenobi for Halloween.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@joseantoniokast\/video\/7025623776544951558\" data-video-id=\"7025623776544951558\">\n<section><a title=\"@joseantoniokast\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@joseantoniokast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@joseantoniokast<\/a>We have the high grounds! Que tengas buena semana\u270c <a title=\"parati\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/parati\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##parati<\/a> <a title=\"chile\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/chile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##chile<\/a> <a title=\"tiktokchile\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/tiktokchile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##tiktokchile<\/a> <a title=\"halloween\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/halloween\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##halloween<\/a> <a title=\"starwars\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/starwars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##starwars<\/a> <a title=\"kast\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/kast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">##kast<\/a><a title=\"\u266c sonido original - Jose Antonio Kast\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/sonido-original-7025623659549084421\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u266c sonido original \u2013 Jose Antonio Kast<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Boric, a leader of student protests prior to his ascent to the national legislature, is campaigning as the only thing standing in between Chile and authoritarianism. He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.t13.cl\/noticia\/elecciones-2021\/politica\/programas\/boric-luego-pasar-segunda-vuelta-esperanza-le-va-ganar-al-miedo-21-11-2021\">abstained<\/a> from directly attacking the frontrunner on Sunday, however.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am not here to occupy this tribune to speak ill of the other candidates. We came to make hope, dialogue, and unity our crusade,\u201d Boric said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn this challenge, which we accept with humility, everyone has a place. We have to work for the unity of democrats,\u201d Boric <a href=\"https:\/\/www.t13.cl\/noticia\/elecciones-2021\/politica\/programas\/boric-luego-pasar-segunda-vuelta-esperanza-le-va-ganar-al-miedo-21-11-2021\">continued<\/a>. \u201cWe know that it is narrow, that it is difficult, but we will win. It is precisely in difficult times when the mettle of leaderships is tested.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Boric faced a significant challenge last week in his attempt to brand his radical leftist coalition the choice for people who believe in democracy after the Communist Party of Chile, which is part of his alliance, <a href=\"https:\/\/elpais.com\/internacional\/2021-11-12\/el-apoyo-del-partido-comunista-chileno-a-ortega-pone-en-aprietos-al-candidato-de-la-izquierda-a-dias-de-las-elecciones.html\">issued<\/a> a statement applauding Nicaragua\u2019s Sandinista dictator Daniel Ortega for hosting what Organization of American States (OAS) head Luis Almagro called \u201cthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/latin-america\/2021\/11\/08\/nicaragua-socialist-daniel-ortega-wins-worst-possible-election-with-75-of-votes\/\">worst election<\/a> possible.\u201d Ortega arrested seven presidential candidates before the election to essentially run unopposed, then used state violence to suppress resistance to his regime on the day of the election. Dissidents also reported widespread allegations of fraud and voter intimidation.<\/p>\n<p>Spain\u2019s&nbsp;<em>El Pa\u00eds<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/elpais.com\/internacional\/2021-11-12\/el-apoyo-del-partido-comunista-chileno-a-ortega-pone-en-aprietos-al-candidato-de-la-izquierda-a-dias-de-las-elecciones.html\">noted<\/a> that Boric\u2019s allies endorsing a fraudulent, authoritarian \u201celection\u201d shortly before Boric\u2019s own election had forced Boric to \u201cattempt to split with a party with which he has an alliance to form a government, but leaves him in an uncomfortable position facing the final stretch of elections on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Boric issued a statement urging the Communist Party to \u201cretract its posture regarding Nicaragua.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to the Spanish newspaper, international human rights attorney Paz Z\u00e1rate noted that the Communist Party\u2019s support for Ortega was \u201cnot surprising\u201d but that its attitude was not limited to that organization.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe PC [Communist Party] in Chile has supported atrocities in China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, just to name a few recent examples. But the problem is not just the PC,\u201d Z\u00e1rate said. \u201cThis is endemic of that sector.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A profile by&nbsp;<em>Time<\/em> magazine <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6121561\/gabriel-boric-chile-election\/\">noted<\/a> that, if elected, Boric \u201cwould hike taxes on major industries, ramp up public spending to overhaul services, and scrap the private pension system that has underpinned Chile\u2019s capital markets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chile\u2019s run-off presidential election is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.t13.cl\/noticia\/elecciones-2021\/politica\/elecciones-2021-cuando-es-segunda-vuelta-presidencial-jose-antonio-kast-gabriel-boric-21-11-2021\">scheduled<\/a> to take place on December 19.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1637665084237000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1F9zYrgpwHQrc4upp_iUq4\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1637665084237000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2f93pvbTyjJq0DogiCCiZ-\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Conservative candidate Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast\u00a0narrowly defeated communist-supported candidate Gabriel Boric on Sunday in the first round of presidential elections in Chile, setting the stage for a run-off vote in December &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1044182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1044182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044182\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1044182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1044182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1044182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}