José Antonio Kast will be proclaimed as president-elect this Monday at noon at the Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones, inviting leaders from all parties with parliamentary representation, from the PC to the PNL. This move aims to signal dialogue with both the current government and opposition. Meanwhile, he prepares a trip to Peru focused on the Venezuelan migration crisis following Nicolás Maduro's capture.
This Monday at noon, José Antonio Kast will take part in his proclamation ceremony as president-elect at the Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones (Tricel) in Santiago. Joined by his wife María Pía Adriasola, children José Antonio and Josefina, and advisors such as Cristián Valenzuela, María Paz Fadel, and Catalina Ugarte, he has invited the 16 presidents of parties with parliamentary seats. Among those summoned are Guillermo Ramírez (UDI), Rodrigo Galilea (RN), Johannes Kaiser (PNL), Ximena Rincón (Demócratas), Lautaro Carmona (PC), Jaime Quintana (PPD), Paulina Vodanovic (PS), and Andrés Couble (Frente Amplio).
The inclusion of left- and right-wing figures came as a surprise, as these ceremonies traditionally involve only the elect's family and close aides, plus state officials. In 2022, Gabriel Boric attended solely with Irina Karamanos due to Covid-19 restrictions. Sebastián Piñera in 2018 arrived with family and advisors like Andrés Chadwick and Cecilia Pérez, while Michelle Bachelet in 2014 invited the Nueva Mayoría coalition and some opponents such as Carlos Larraín from RN. Republican sources see this as a gesture of openness toward the current government to foster good relations.
Kast's week features a trip to Peru on Tuesday afternoon, after an event with the CPC, returning Wednesday night. It marks his third international outing: earlier visits to Argentina for a meeting with Javier Milei and Ecuador with Daniel Noboa. The emphasis is on the Venezuelan crisis after Nicolás Maduro's detention by the U.S. on Saturday. Kast hailed the event on social media, calling for the 'entire regime apparatus to abandon power' and to coordinate Venezuelans' return.
In Peru, he will meet President José Jerí, his cabinet, and business leaders. Jerí stated: 'From today, many families can reunite in their country, so we will provide facilities for their immediate return regardless of their migration status.' The two agreed during a Sunday call to delve deeper into a potential humanitarian corridor, which Jerí called 'a mechanism for very exceptional cases'.
Kast's stance drew criticism from the left. Ricardo Lagos Weber (PPD) urged clarification on his multilateral policy principles, stressing international law. Coca Ñanco (Frente Amplio) contrasted Kast's 'populist discourse' with Boric's multilateralism. Lautaro Carmona (PC) warned against subservience to U.S. policies, upholding Chilean sovereignty.
