Conservative Euphoria Hits Chile as Right Surges in Latin America

The inauguration of Chile’s new president, José Antonio Kast, is the latest milestone in a broader shift toward conservatism and pro-Trump alignment in the region.

Conservative leaders flew across the globe and over the Andes to one of the world’s southernmost capitals this week for the inauguration of Chile’s right-wing president, José Antonio Kast.
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Mr. Frias noted the recent election victories by President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Nasry Asfura of Honduras and President Santiago Peña of Paraguay — all conservatives.

“There are reasons for happiness, no doubt,” Mr. Frias added.

Still, Latin America’s three most populous countries — Mexico, Colombia and Brazil — are governed by left-wing leaders, though Colombia and Brazil face highly unpredictable elections this year. In Peru, a right-wing candidate is leading the polls ahead of a general election next month.

Experts say the success of right-wing leaders is driven by a surge in anti-incumbent sentiment and growing concerns over crime and security, issues that conservative candidates have successfully capitalized on.
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- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/world/americas/chile-kast-conservatism-trump.html

First, that incumbency is no longer the burden that it was in the region’s years of rage [...] The second, and more consequential trend, is that Latin America began moving to the right even as some pundits were talking about a “second pink tide”, harking back to the leftward shift of the early 2000s. ... Of course, this shift is not uniform. Such trends rarely are in Latin America. The crushing victory of Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico’s election last year... There are three reasons behind the rightward shift. The first is the spread and metastasis of organized crime across the region. ... The second reason is economics. ... Lastly, the right has adapted more quickly to the digital world of political communication, with its polarization and disinformation...