The administration attempted to defuse growing anger by submitting a bill to Congress on Friday to reverse planned fuel price increases, yielding to pressure after truckers' unions blockaded two major highways. However, the concession failed to halt the broader unrest, with citizens continuing to demonstrate against a deepening cost-of-living crisis. Public resentment remains further inflamed by decrees that reduced sentences for 56 prisoners convicted of child rape and human rights violations, as well as planned budget cuts to science, culture, and education.
Key points
Severe inflation and fuel price surges driven by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran have disr…: Severe inflation and fuel price surges driven by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran have disrupted the administration's initial policy plans.
Legislative retreats on fuel pricing have not quelled public demonstrations against auste…: Legislative retreats on fuel pricing have not quelled public demonstrations against austerity measures targeting culture, education, and science.
Economic turmoil and escalating prices are eroding domestic support for Kast while mirror…: Economic turmoil and escalating prices are eroding domestic support for Kast while mirroring regional hardships faced by allied governments across the Americas.
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SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile's ultraconservative president finds himself on the back foot after just eight months in power.
José Antonio Kast, a politician who spent a career railing against progressive issues, reproductive rights and welfare policies from the extreme fringes of right-wing politics, now finds himself with just 24% approval in the polls.
It is less than a year since Kast stormed to the presidency in December 2025 by avoiding all mention of his hardline stances on social matters, focusing instead on two hot-button issues whipped up in the national media: illegal immigration and public security.
But rather than pressing ahead with those at the top of his agenda, he has floundered. And as elsewhere around the Americas and worldwide, rising costs of living have come to hit him hard.
"Our salaries are maybe 20% of a European income, but with a similar cost of living – it's terrible," said Simón Echavarría, a 30-year-old architect, at a march in Santiago on Friday evening.
"We want to protest against the measures that have set us back on environmental issues, on human…
The former state lawmaker secured victory by uniting a cross-party coalition against three Republican challengers, ending a 26-year gubernatorial drought for his party. His platform targeted vital local infrastructure, educational investment, and corporate tax reforms following years of Republican administration. The unexpected northern win also expands his party's executive presence nationwide to 30 governorships.
Lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee are demanding transparency after military leadership quietly removed multiple warship commanders without the standard public disclosures. The quiet dismissals have fueled friction between Congress and the Navy at a vulnerable operational moment. These internal upheavals coincide with intensified regional friction as Washington weighs naval blockades and possible military strikes against Tehran.
Armed conflict in the region has escalated as armed forces targeted vulnerable shelters housing civilians fleeing earlier violence. Rescuers confirmed that a young victim was among the dozen people who lost their lives in the bombardment. The attack left scores of other residents injured, worsening the humanitarian crisis for displaced communities.