DOLLY PARTON RETURNS TO PUBLIC EYE TO CELEBRATE OPENING DAY AT DOLLYWOOD . (PHOTO).
Conservative leader José Antonio Kast was sworn in Wednesday as Chile’s president, taking over from outgoing leftist President Gabriel Boric and promising a tough approach to crime and irregular migration. Kast, a 60-year-old lawyer and former Republican Party leader, won the presidency on his third attempt, campaigning on an “emergency government” agenda aimed at dismantling organized crime networks and tightening border controls.
The inauguration took place at Chile’s National Congress in Valparaiso, attended by roughly 1,100 guests, including Latin American presidents, Spain’s King Felipe VI, Venezuelan opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Kast assumed office amid heightened security after a police officer was shot in the head earlier that day. Speaking before taking the oath, he vowed to pursue, prosecute, and imprison anyone who attacks Chilean police. Public concern over rising homicides, kidnappings, and extortion has fueled Kast’s hardline stance. He also pledged to deport roughly 350,000 undocumented migrants and secure Chile’s northern border.
Kast’s election reflects a broader conservative shift in parts of Latin America. He recently attended the “Shield of the Americas” summit near Miami alongside allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Foreign policy tensions marked the final days of Boric’s government, particularly over a proposed undersea fiber-optic cable connecting Chile and Hong Kong, which raised U.S. concerns over Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure. U.S. Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd, present at the inauguration, said he expects closer cooperation under Kast and emphasized that U.S. concerns focus on critical infrastructure rather than trade. Economically, Kast’s government plans to cut $6 billion in public spending over 18 months, with Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz ordering a 3% reduction across all ministries.
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