CHILE ELECTION: KAST RIDES VENEZUELAN MIGRATION BACKLASH, VOWS BORDER CRACKDOWN

As Chile votes, far-right contender José Antonio Kast is centering his pitch on immigration and border control, spotlighting a 2022 killing he links to "illegal" migrants. The case sparked nationwide truckers’ protests and hardened demands for tighter controls. Foreign nationals reached 8.8% of Chile’s population in 2024 (about 1.6 million), with Venezuelans comprising roughly 42.6% of that total, reshaping campaign debates over security, the economy, and migration policy.