Chile elections 2021: José Antonio Kast defends Pinochet but denies being far-right

The ultra-conservative candidate for the next Chilean presidential elections, Jose Antonio KastOn Friday, he asked the press not to be labeled as far-right, while he wanted to differentiate the military government of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) from the “dictatorships” of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

In a meeting with correspondents of the foreign press accredited in Chile, the standard-bearer of the Republican Party, which several polls rank as the second and even the first favorite to be the new president of the country, answered why he does not qualify the Pinochet regime as dictatorship, but it does this with the governments of those three Latin American countries.

“There is a situation that makes a difference with what happens in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. I believe that what happened in Nicaragua fully reflects what did not happen in Chile (with Pinochet): democratic elections were held and political opponents were not locked up. That makes the fundamental difference ”, said Kast, a 55-year-old attorney.

He added that the Constitution that was promulgated in 1980 during the Pinochet regime, and which is in force today, “contained the entire transition to democracy” and that all the institutions that emanated from that Magna Carta, from Parliament to the Armed Forces passing through the Judiciary, they are still in force today.

“Therefore, there is no point of comparison with what happens in the dictatorships of Cuba, where they have been dictatorships for more than 70 years, neither with the narco-dictatorship of Venezuela and nor with the dictatorship of (Daniel) Ortega in Nicaragua.”, he expressed.

“Tell me if dictatorships hand over power to democracy and if they make a transition to democracy and it is respected? That is what other countries do not do and it was done in Chile, “he said.

Asked if he still thinks the same as when in 2017, as a candidate for the previous presidential elections, he said that if Pinochet were alive he would vote for him, he said: “We don’t have a way to ask him, but I don’t think he would have many alternatives.”

“I DON’T FEEL LONG-RIGHT”

In his conversation with journalists, Kast said he doesn’t feel far right and asked that it not be classified as such and yes as “A candidate of common sense.”

“I’m not (far right)” (…) A concept was coined by the press that I am extreme, extreme in what? (…) It is an old political division and we are going to break with traditional political schemes, why do you think that someone who is described as the extreme right is leading the polls? “, he expressed.

He invited a review of his electoral program, in which he said there are detailed “common sense” proposals on migration, private property, the economy and the environment, among others.

He explained that his bet is to create a “small, austere and efficient state, but strong” because in this way, he said, “more resources will reach the people.”

The candidate, who did not want to compare himself with figures such as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro or former US president Donald Trump, reiterated his rejection of equal marriage, which is currently being debated in Congress, and abortion, which is legal at this time. in Chile under three grounds and whose total decriminalization is also under discussion.

Regarding migration, he said “the first thing is border control”, for which he even plans to make a ditch on the northern border, and pointed out the origin of the migratory wave of Venezuelans who enter the country illegally resides in the ” narco-dictatorship ”by Nicolás Maduro.

He also pointed out that Chile should “expel the Venezuelan ambassador.”

Kast is one of the seven candidates that are presented to the elections, which find in the leftist Gabriel Boric the other great favorite to lead the next government.

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