This is José Antonio Kast, the conservative leader who has halted the left in Chile

José Antonio Kast is Chile's new president-elect. The conservative is a clear advocate of "the defense of human life, marriage, family and religious freedom."

Kast is a member of the Political Networks for Values movement, which includes prominent political figures from Europe and Latin America. Its members, MEPs, senior Council of Europe officials, and leaders of civil organizations worldwide, hold a wide range of ideologies.

"José Antonio is one of the oldest members of our network and was its president for two years, a period in which he consolidated PNfV's vocation as a node generating synergies, articulated around a common agenda of values," the movement wrote in a statement in which it congratulated Chileans on the presidential elections in which Kast was victorious.

"His trajectory is characterized by a firm and courageous commitment to the dignity of every human being"

"His trajectory, characterized by a firm, courageous and serene commitment to the dignity of every human being, freedom, the culture of life and the strengthening of the family as a pillar of society, is for all of us a guide and an encouragement," Political Networks for Values highlighted.

But Kast has not escaped attacks from progressives. They highlighted a 2021 statement in which the newly elected leader said if "Pinochet were alive now he would vote for me." The media uproar that formed in Chile, and in many other countries, was sharply cut short by Kast himself when he stressed that he does not support and has never supported any violation of human rights.

His family background has also been used by the opposition to criticize José Antonio Kast. His parents emigrated from Germany to Chile in 1950, fleeing the hardship that persisted five years after World War II. An Associated Press investigation, widely cited in international press reports, alleged his father had a Nazi past and had served in the German army during the war. The Republican leader has consistently stated that his father was a conscript, not a member of the Nazi Party, despite the Party's ranks including more than 8.5 million Germans by March 1945.

Immigration and security, the priorities of the president-elect.

Right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast swept Sunday's ballot and will be Chile's next president. The 59 year old conservative lawyer, won with 58% against communist Jeannette Jara, who represented a left-wing coalition and got 42%, after 86% of the votes were counted.

He will assume power on March 11 for a four-year term.

The devout Catholic and father of nine has vowed to deport nearly 340,000 undocumented immigrants and to combat crime aggressively.

Kast believes Chile is "falling apart." This was his third attempt at the presidency, now as a candidate of the Republican Party he founded five years ago, because he found the traditional right wing too soft.

Freedom from communism

Kast's rival, Jeannette Jara, a 51 year old lawyer who served as labor minister under President Gabriel Boric and championed the reduction of the work week to 40 hours, quickly conceded defeat and promised a "demanding" opposition. In the first round of elections a month ago, Jara and Kast each won about a quarter of the vote, with a slight edge for the leftist candidate. However, right-wing votes ultimately totaled 70%, propelling Kast to the presidential palace, La Moneda.