Kast takes office as Chile marks its sharpest shift to the right since dictatorship

VALPARAÍSO, Chile (AP) — Far-right leader José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile’s president Wednesday in the Latin American nation’s most pronounced rightward shift since the return of democracy in 1990.

In a ceremony at the National Congress in the coastal city of Valparaíso that was attended by dozens of heads of state, Kast and his Cabinet took their oaths of office after a landslide victory in the December elections.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, and Spain’s King Felipe VI were among the attendees. Other guests included Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado.

There were several high-profile absences, including Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Nayib Bukele of El Salvador. A modest U.S. delegation was led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

In his first speech as president Wednesday night, Kast said Chile has real adversaries, including “those who have sown terror in neighborhoods.”

Kast won his landslide election victory against communist candidate Jeannette Jara with the promise of fighting crime and curbing illegal immigration, similar to the aims of his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump.

“And those who have entered by violating our borders to commit crimes, exploit others or turn our land into a no-man’s land are also adversaries of Chile,” Kast said from the balcony at the La Moneda Palace in the capital, Santiago. He added that the government “will not negotiate” with them and that he will pursue them and bring them to justice.

Demonstrations for and against the new president unfolded outside Congress in Valparaíso and the La Moneda Palace. Kast supporters waved flags and held banners reading “Long live Chile” and “President of change.”

“Now is the time for unity. After all, a large majority of the country voted for him, and that’s why I came to support him,” Melisa Muñoz, a 38-year-old secretary, told The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, another group of protesters marched against Kast and what they called American “imperialism." Police closed several subway stations in downtown Santiago as a security measure.

“With Kast, it’s going to be like living back in the ‘80s,” Jeanete Figueroa, 52, an administrator, told AP, referring to the years Chile lived under the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. “I lived through it in the ’80s, I went out to protest, and now it’s going to be exactly the same, I’ll go back to the streets.”

Chile is the latest Latin American country to vote out an incumbent government, with voters backing right-wing leaders from Argentina to Bolivia as Trump looks to assert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere, in many cases punishing rivals and rewarding allies.

While Kast has avoided commenting on controversial issues at home and abroad, he has made overtures to the Trump administration and praised the U.S. operation that culminated in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

These signals intensified recently when Kast abruptly ended the transition process following a clash with outgoing President Gabriel Boric over a project to install a submarine cable to connect Chile and China. The project drew intense criticism from the U.S. and further deepened the diplomatic tensions between the Boric administration and Washington.

Relations between Chile and the United States have deteriorated significantly under the second Trump administration. Boric was a vocal critic of his U.S. counterpart, even characterizing the Republican’s leadership style as that of a “new emperor.”

Trump openly signaled his preference for Kast over Boric, notably inviting Kast to last weekend’s “Shield of the Americas” summit in Miami, which brought together several right-wing leaders in the region, including Bukele and Milei.

Kast narrowly lost the presidency in 2021 to Boric. At that time, his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage — along with his praise of the legacy and figure of Pinochet — were largely rejected by Chileans.

Four years later, his hard-line stance on crime and immigration won the support of about 60% of voters in a country hit by a rise in organized crime and disappointed by the great expectations that Boric raised but left unfulfilled.

“He promised us many things, and then it was four years of disappointment,” Yamila Martinez, a 31-year-old warehouse assistant, told The Associated Press.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast and his wife Maria Pia Adriasola wave to supporters from the balcony of la Moneda presidential palace after his inauguration in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristobal Basaure)

Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast, center, and his wife Maria Pia Adriasola greet guests on his inauguration day at Congress in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast and his wife Maria Pia Adriasola wave to supporters from the balcony of La Moneda presidential palace after his inauguration in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

A dog lies on the red carpet outside Congress prior to the inauguration ceremony of Chile's new President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Outgoing President Gabriel Boric greets supporters as he leaves after President Jose Antonio Kast's swearing-in ceremony in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Anti-government protesters demonstrate on the inauguration day of Chile's incoming President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast, center, and his wife Maria Pia Adriasola greet guests on his inauguration day at Congress in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast waves to supporters as he leaves Congress after his swearing-in ceremony in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino arrives to Congress for the inauguration ceremony of Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Spain's King Felipe arrives to Congress for the inauguration ceremony of Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado arrives to Congress to attend the inauguration ceremony of Chile's new President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau arrives to Congress to attend the inauguration ceremony of Chile's new President Jose Antonio Kast in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Senate President Paulina Nunez, left, places the presidential sash on incoming President Jose Antonio Kast during his inauguration in Valparaiso, Chile, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Chilean President-elect Jose Antonio Kast talks to the press at his office in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry and Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists apiece, and the Anaheim Ducks eliminated Connor McDavid the two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers with a 5-2 victory in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series Thursday night.

Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist, Ryan Poehling scored the opening goal and Lukas Dostal made 25 saves in a standout performance for the upstart Ducks, who stormed to their team’s first playoff series victory since 2017.

After ending a seven-year postseason absence by knocking out the powerhouse Oilers, Anaheim will face the winner of the Vegas Golden Knights’ series with the Utah Mammoth. Vegas leads 3-2 heading to Salt Lake City on Friday night.

Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin scored as Edmonton followed up its worst regular season since 2021 by going out in the first round for the first time since that season.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, left, and Anaheim Ducks center Tim Washe go after the puck on a face-off during the second period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Connor Murphy, second from left, celebrates his goal with teammates as Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stands in goal during the first period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Anaheim Ducks center Tim Washe, left, puts a hit on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Ty Emberson during the second period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Chris Kreider, left, celebrates his goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram, right, during the first period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling, right, celebrates his goal with center Mason McTavish during the first period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Edmonton Oilers, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)