The communist candidate of Chile’s centre-left government, Jeannette Jara, and a hard-right veteran politician, Jose Antonio Kast, will vie for the country’s presidency in a run-off vote next month after neither gained a winning margin in a polarised election on Sunday, initial results showed.
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With 63 per cent of the vote counted and results still trickling in, Chilean President Gabriel Boric recognised Jara and Kast as the front-runners headed to the second round of elections, scheduled for December 14.
“I trust that dialogue, respect and love for Chile will prevail over any differences,” Boric said after a weeks-long vitriolic campaign.
Shortly after he spoke, cheers erupted from the campaign headquarters of Jara and Kast on opposite ends of the capital of Santiago. “Kast, our next president!” his fans shouted, banging drums in the middle of the street.
Jara claimed more than 26.6 per cent of valid ballots – far short of the 50 per cent threshold to claim victory in the first round even with half of the ballots counted.
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