Conservative Catholic Leader José Antonio Kast Assumes Chilean Presidency Amid Rising Regional Right-Wing Trend

Chile's new President José Antonio Kast enters office with conservative Catholic views, aiming to reform security and immigration in a secularizing nation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 8:17 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Independent

A Religious Shift in a Secularizing Nation

The inauguration of José Antonio Kast marks a significant departure from the progressive leadership of his predecessor, Gabriel Boric. Kast, a 60 year old father of nine, is a practicing Catholic and a long time member of the Schoenstatt movement, an apostolic community centered on devotion to the Virgin Mary. His arrival in the presidency aligns Chile with other regional conservative leaders, such as El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and Argentina’s Javier Milei, who have prioritized security and economic restructuring over the socially liberal agendas that dominated the previous decade.

The Pillars of the Schoenstatt Movement

Kast’s world view is deeply influenced by the Schoenstatt movement, which emphasizes the formation of individuals and the integration of faith into daily life. Founded in Germany in 1914 and established in Chile in 1947, the movement currently maintains over 20 shrines and claims approximately 10,000 followers nationwide. According to movement directors, the community focuses on the protection of life from conception to natural death, a stance that Kast championed during his 2021 and 2025 campaigns when he vocally opposed abortion rights and same sex marriage.

Navigating a Complex Religious Landscape

Despite Kast's personal devotion, he governs a country where Catholic affiliation has plummeted from 80% in 1995 to just 45% today. This decline has been fueled by a series of sexual abuse scandals within the Church, leading to a significant loss of institutional trust. However, scholars like Luis Bahamondes suggest that while the institution is in crisis, conservative values regarding family and marriage remain deeply rooted in Chilean society. This cultural friction was evident during the election, where Kast successfully leveraged concerns over crime and unregulated immigration to secure his mandate.