Chile's ultraconservative president, José Antonio Kast, is currently facing significant political instability just eight months into his term. Having built a career on the fringes of right-wing politics by railing against welfare policies, reproductive rights, and progressive issues, Kast secured the presidency in December 2025.
His campaign victory was largely attributed to a strategic focus on public security and illegal immigration, while he notably avoided discussing his more hardline social stances. However, his administration is now struggling, with recent polling indicating his approval rating has plummeted to just 24%.
The current unrest in Santiago is driven by a convergence of economic hardship and public outrage over specific government actions. On November 5, 2026, students and other demonstrators gathered in the capital to protest against education policies, the rising cost of living, and a controversial government decision to reduce the sentences of 56 prisoners.
These prisoners had been convicted of crimes ranging from the rape of children to human rights violations committed during the dictatorship era. While Kast has publicly admitted that the signing of these decrees was an “error,” he has continued to support the undersecretary responsible for the move.
Economic frustration remains a central theme of the protests. At a march in Santiago on Friday, November 13, 2026, 30-year-old architect Simón Echavarría highlighted the disparity between local wages and the cost of living, noting that salaries in Chile are often only 20% of European levels despite similar expenses.
Echavarría expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government's direction, citing environmental setbacks, human rights concerns, and the sentencing of pedophiles as policies that “nobody asked for.” During the demonstration, police utilized water cannons and blocked streets to disperse the crowds.
Fuel prices have served as a major catalyst for the recent wave of unrest. In July, the government chose not to utilize an available anti-inflation tool to mitigate fuel price increases triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The resulting price hikes caused immediate public anger and long queues at gas stations. This tension culminated in a blockade of two major highways by Chile’s powerful truckers' unions.
By Friday, the government had backed down, submitting a bill to Congress to reverse the planned fuel price increases. While the legislation is expected to pass this month, public discontent regarding the broader cost of living remains high.
The challenges facing Kast are part of a wider trend across the Americas, where leaders aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump are struggling with inflation and the rising cost of everyday goods.
In Argentina, President Javier Milei faces a 60% disapproval rating, while in Peru, President Keiko Fujimori is contending with a 53% disapproval rating, according to recent Ipsos polling.
Despite the growing protests, there is little indication that President Kast intends to change his economic strategy. Patricia Pereira, a 30-year-old veterinarian participating in the protests, voiced concerns that the government is questioning the hard-won victory of free education in Chile.
Instead of addressing these grievances, the government’s current budget proposal, which is currently moving through Congress, seeks further cuts to science, culture, education, and various other social programs.
Behind him, heavily armed police blocked the streets and fired water cannons at protesters chanting and waving flags in the square.
Much of the recent ire stems from the revelation last month that Kast's government had signed decrees to cut the sentences of 56 prisoners whose crimes range from the rape of children to dictatorship-era human rights violations.
