Chapter 23: Debate

105      publicly admires Orbán and Donald Trump In 2017, José Antonio Kast told CNN, “I would have voted for Trump.” Kast has said that he wants to form an “anti-globalist” bloc that would include Trump and Orbán. During a 2024 television interview, Kast “defended the manipulations that Orbán made to obtain total control of parliament, the courts of justice, and the reactionary policies surrounding abortion, same-sex marriage, and others. Kast defended the Hungarian regime, saying that ‘there are no international complaints,’ even though the European Parliament has spoken out against many of the changes imposed by one of the leaders of the nationalist and Eurosceptic far right.” Also in 2024, Kast attended the CPAC conference in Budapest, and it was reported, “Kast has stated that he is very interested in learning about the immigration policy promoted by Viktor Orbán . . . Those close to Kast mention that although the focus of the visit will be on Hungarian immigration policies, they are also interested in learning about Orbán's pro-family approach.” See Juan Carlos López, “José Antonio Kast, Chilean Presidential Candidate: I Would Have Voted for Trump,” CNN Latin America, November 8, 2017, cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/cnnee-dusa-intvw-jose-antonio-kast-presidencia-candidato-chile-voto-trump-elecciones, via Google Translate; Vijay Prashad, “Vijay Prashad: Chile Is at the Political Crossroads: Social Renewal or Decades of Painful Neoliberal Policy,” Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, December 20, 2021, rdcy.ruc.edu.cn/yw/HOME/Focus/43deaac0176f4f0ba488187260022a52.htm, (“anti-globalist” bloc); Antonio Paez, “Far Right: Kast, Bukele, Orbán, and Republicans,” La Izquierda Diario, April 15, 2024, /www.laizquierdadiario.cl/Kast-Bukele-Orban-y-republicanos, via Google Translate (defense of Orbán); and “Key Points of Kast’s Tour to Hungary, Focusing on Immigration and Pro-Family Policies,” Ex-Ante, April 21, 2024, www.ex-ante.cl/las-claves-de-la-gira-de-kast-a-hungria-con-foco-en-inmigracion-y-en-politicas-pro-familia/, via Google Translate (interest in Orbán’s immigration and “pro-family” policies).

105      founded . . . the Republican Party  Alejandra Jara and Ximena Soto, “José Antonio Kast Registers a New Political Party in the Servel,” La Tercera, June 10, 2019, www.latercera.com/politica/noticia/jose-antonio-kast-servel-partido-politico/692244/, via Google Translate.

105      constructing a ditch on their country’s northern border  “Far-Right Candidate Takes All the Flak at Last TV Debate Among Chilean Presidential Hopefuls,” MercoPress, November 16, 2021, en.mercopress.com/2021/11/16/far-right-candidate-takes-all-the-flak-at-last-tv-debate-among-chilean-presidential-hopefuls.

105      wearing red “Make America Great Again” hats  Matias Basualdo/ZUMA Press Wire, “Supporters of Republican Party candidate Jose Antonio Kast during the closing campaign rally,” November 18, 2021, photograph, Alamy, www.alamy.com/santiago-metropolitana-chile-18th-nov-2021-supporters-of-republican-party-candidate-jose-antonio-kast-during-the-closing-campaign-rally-chile-will-hold-its-presidential-election-on-nov-21-credit-image-matias-basualdozuma-press-wire-image451770386.html; and John Bartlett, “Chile’s Right Rejoices After Pro-Pinochet Candidate Wins Presidential First Round,” The Guardian, November 22, 2021, www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/22/jose-antonio-kast-chile-right-wing-presidential-election.

105      newfound lead in the first-round election polls  Robert L. Funk, “The Rise of José Antonio Kast in Chile,” Americas Quarterly, October 26, 2021,www.americasquarterly.org/article/the-rise-of-jose-antonio-kast-in-chile/; and “Chile Conservative Kast Maintains Lead in Final Pre-Election Opinion Polls,” Reuters, November 6, 2021, www.reuters.com/world/americas/chile-conservative-kast-maintains-lead-final-pre-election-opinion-polls-2021-11-06/.

106      About 3.1 million people tune  Rocío Montes, “The Last Presidential Debate in Chile Exposes an Uncomfortable Candidate from the Extreme Right,” El País, November 16, 2021, accessed via Wayback Machine, November 16, 2021 capture, elpais.com/internacional/2021-11-16/el-ultimo-debate-presidencial-en-chile-desnuda-a-un-incomodo-candidato-de-la-derecha-extrema.html, via Google Translate.

106      “A tradition of the National Television Association . . .”  CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021: El último antes de la elección,” YouTube, November 15, 2021, www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 0:00–0:07, trans. Francisco A. Philibert.

106      longest-running news program in Chile Lorenzo Bortolaso, “On the 13th, the First News Channel on Chilean Open Television with National Coverage Will Be Launched,” Canal 13, April 4, 2023, www.13.cl/programas/entretencion/canal-13/el-13-lanzara-el-primer-canal-de-noticias-de-la-television-abierta/video, via Google Translate.

106      most-watched news program at the time Nic Newman et al., Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2021, reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Digital_News_Report_2021_FINAL.pdf, 121.

106      “The candidates are ready and placed . . .” CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021,” www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 1:03–1:13.

106      “This is why candidate Gabriel Boric . . .”  CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021,” www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 1:13–1:17.

106      former student activist and member of the lower house of Chile’s congress Julie Turkewitz et al., “Gabriel Boric: From Shaggy-Haired Activist to Chilean President,” New York Times, December 21, 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/12/21/world/americas/chile-boric.html; and “Gabriel Boric,” Gobierno de Chile, Gob.cl, accessed January 9, 2025, www.gob.cl/en/institutions/presidency/.

106      his number one challenger “Chile Conservative Kast Maintains Lead in Final Pre-Election Opinion Polls, www.reuters.com/world/americas/chile-conservative-kast-maintains-lead-final-pre-election-opinion-polls-2021-11-06/.

106      higher taxes for the rich, expanding the social safety net  Pascale Bonnefoy and Ernesto Londoño, “Gabriel Boric, a Former Student Activist, Is Elected Chile’s Youngest President,” New York Times, December 19, 2021, updated December 20, 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/12/19/world/americas/chile-president-election.html.

106      combatting bigotry Fabian Cambero, “Chile’s Presidential Candidates on Mining, Pensions and LGBT Rights,” Reuters, December 15, 2021, www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/chiles-presidential-candidates-mining-pensions-lgbt-rights-2021-12-15/.

106      climate change, and transforming Chile’s privatized pension system John Barlett and Sam Jones, “Gabriel Boric Vows to ‘Fight Privileges of the Few’ as Chile’s President,” The Guardian, December 20, 2021, www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/20/gabriel-boric-vows-to-fight-privileges-of-the-few-as-chiles-premier; and Cambero, “Chile’s Presidential Candidates on Mining, Pensions and LGBT Rights,” www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/chiles-presidential-candidates-mining-pensions-lgbt-rights-2021-12-15/.

106      “At number two is José Antonio Kast”  CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021,” www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 1:20–1:23.

107      “Good evening”  CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021,” www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 1:24–1:25.



107      “We are now ready to begin this debate”  CNN Chile, “Debate presidencial Anatel 2021,” www.youtube.com/live/hF-H0sIK_gU?si=oOYqVCftlItaQNL3, 2:03–2:05.