President-elect José Antonio Kast ended his Ecuador trip with meetings on security and irregular migration with President Daniel Noboa. He stated he invited Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to his March 11 inauguration and expressed openness to visiting the United States before taking office. The tour included talks on a possible humanitarian corridor for irregular Venezuelans.
José Antonio Kast arrived in Quito in the early morning of December 23, 2025, after a layover in Lima where he met Peruvian Chancellor Hugo de Zela to discuss narcotrafficking, irregular immigration, and a humanitarian corridor for Venezuelans. In Ecuador, his agenda focused on South America's migration crisis, driven by the exodus of nearly 8 million people from Venezuela.
At 11:00 a.m., Kast held a bilateral meeting with Daniel Noboa at the Palacio de Carondelet, accompanied by elected senators Rodolfo Carter and retired General Cristián Vial. He later lunched with Noboa and his ministers, followed by a meeting with businessmen at the Swissôtel Hotel. In a closing press point, he emphasized regional coordination: “We want to present to the President of Ecuador the situation of organized crime, illegal immigration, and narcotrafficking. Ecuador is also experiencing a critical situation”.
Kast proposed a humanitarian corridor agreed upon with Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia to facilitate the return of irregular migrants to Venezuela, urging Nicolás Maduro's government to open its borders. “I do not recognize a dictatorship, but that does not mean that country should not receive its nationals”, he stated, rejecting any direct dialogue with Maduro for his lack of respect for democracy.
Concluding the visit after 10:00 p.m., already on the plane back to Chile, Kast revealed he had a long conversation with Nayib Bukele after his election victory and invited him to the March 11 handover, though he does not know if he will attend. Regarding Donald Trump, he has not spoken directly but maintains good relations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He expressed interest in a possible trip to the United States before assuming office: “We are organizing all international tours and, if possible, of course”.
The tour, second after Buenos Aires, aims to anticipate ties for his government focused on security and migration, responding to citizen expectations without a detailed plan yet announced.
