Santiago – In a significant political shift, Jose Antonio Kast has been elected President of Chile. Kast, whose father was a former Nazi official, will succeed outgoing President Gabriel Boric, a vocal critic of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Boric notably suspended diplomatic relations with Israel following the October 7, 2023, attacks. During his campaign, Kast pledged to “correct the mistakes made by Boric,” characterizing his predecessor’s foreign policy decisions as “whimsical.”
One of Kast’s most controversial statements was a tweet in March 2024 accusing Boric of “antisemitism” for “excluding Israel from the ‘Fida’ International Air Show,” calling the decision “irresponsible and remarkably ideological.”
Kast also strongly condemned the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, offering his “complete and absolute condemnation.” He described Boric’s decision to recall the Chilean ambassador to Israel for consultations as “a new shame for Chile,” pointing to Hamas’s celebration of the move.
In April 2024, Kast linked Iran’s attack on Israel to concerns about Tehran supplying Bolivia with drones, accusing the Chilean government of “weakness and inexperience.”
Kast’s victory comes despite the controversy surrounding his family background. His father, Michael Kast, was indeed a former Nazi official. This historical context has added another layer of complexity to his rise to power in Chile.
The new president’s stance on international relations, particularly concerning Israel, will be closely watched in the coming months. His administration’s policies are expected to differ significantly from those of his predecessor.
