José Antonio Kast Sworn In as Chile's President

José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile's president on Wednesday in Valparaíso, marking the nation's most significant shift to the right since democracy was restored in 1990 following years of military rule. The conservative leader, who secured a landslide victory in the December 2025 elections, took the oath at the National Congress alongside his Cabinet, attended by leaders from across the Americas and Europe.

The ceremony highlighted regional alliances, with Argentine President Javier Milei, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, and Spain's King Felipe VI among the prominent guests. Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also attended, while a U.S. delegation was led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Notable absences included Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

Kast, 60, a lawyer and head of the Republican Party, defeated government-backed candidate Jeannette Jara by promising tough measures against rising organized crime and illegal immigration. Voters, frustrated by economic stagnation and insecurity, gave him support from about 60...