Chile far-right candidate defends plans to slash spending | News

SANTIAGO, Oct 2, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Chilean far-right presidential frontrunner Jose Antonio Kast on Wednesday defended his plan to cut public spending by a whopping $6 billion in 18 months, rejecting criticism that it would jeopardize social programs as "lies." Kast, who is campaigning as the anti-immigration, law-and-order candidate, is hotly tipped to win the presidency on his third attempt. While polls put him neck-and-neck with Jeannette Jara, a communist representing a left-wing coalition, for the first round of voting on November 16, they all show Kast winning if the election goes to a run-off on December 14 as currently expected. On Tuesday, outgoing left-wing President Gabriel Boric tore into Kast's economic program, saying his proposals for large-scale spending cuts...