In the presidential debate broadcast on Canal 13, right-wing candidates like Evelyn Matthei, José Antonio Kast, and Johannes Kaiser adopted a cautious tone, avoiding confrontations to safeguard their poll positions. Jeannette Jara, leading in surveys, focused on her proposals without deviating from her usual strategy. The event, three weeks before the first round, was marked by the absence of major controversies.
The presidential debate on Sunday on Canal 13, featuring eight participants, highlighted a common strategy among right-wing flag-bearers: avoiding risks three weeks before the November 16 first-round election. Evelyn Matthei, from Chile Vamos, Demócratas, and Amarillos, kept a moderate tone, steering clear of clashes with Kast and targeting a broad electorate critical of the government. Her team positively assessed the event without mishaps, though they expected more standout moments; according to polls like the CEP's, the three right-wing candidates are in a virtual tie. “We must speak to a broader public,” sources in her camp assured, noting Kaiser as a bigger threat to Kast.
José Antonio Kast of the Republican Party, leading polls with a second-round spot secured, delved into programmatic axes like security, immigration, and tax cuts, ruling out crosses with other right-wingers. He gave a nod to Matthei for her Labor Minister role and questioned Jara, but avoided repeats of past controversies like bots on social media. Johannes Kaiser's National Libertarian Party will maintain a non-confrontational tone, marking programmatic differences, such as criticisms of Chile Vamos on pension reform and others' lack of judicial proposals.
Jeannette Jara, from the officialism with around 30% support akin to Gabriel Boric's approval, prioritized proposals and tried to distance from the PC, rejecting pardons like Mauricio Hernández Norambuena's. Her team, in a meeting with Unidad por Chile leaders like Camilo Escalona and Lautaro Carmona, diagnosed a positive performance. Upcoming debates: Archi on November 4 and Anatel on November 10. For Matthei, the pace adjustment would come after the end-of-month holiday.