SANTIAGO ¨C Chilean arch-conservative Jose Antonio Kast prevailed over a field of right-wing candidates and will contend in a presidential runoff next month against communist Jeannette Jara, a vote that will spotlight starkly divergent views on how to lead one of Latin America¡¯s richest economies.
The first-round election on Sunday featured strong performances by other right-leaning contenders whose supporters are now likely to back Kast. That makes him the favorite for the Dec. 14 runoff.
Chile has shifted to the right as the top copper-exporting country grapples with a surge in clandestine migration, never-before-seen violent crime and a sluggish economy. Preliminary congressional results show right-wing parties appear poised to control the lower house, while left-wing parties were holding onto a slim majority in the Senate.
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