According to La Tercera, President José Antonio Kast has visited eight countries since taking office seven months ago. The list includes all three of Chile's neighbors: Bolivia, Peru and Argentina. His most recent destination was La Paz, on Friday, October 16.
The outlet reported that most of the trips were to Latin America and to countries led by leaders ideologically aligned with the president. They included official visits, presidential inaugurations and international summits. The available information does not list every destination or explain the reason for the stop in Peru.
The visit to Bolivia carried historical weight. No Chilean president had made a state visit to that country since August 1955, under Carlos Ibáñez del Campo. The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since March 1978 and maintain only consulates.
The trip lasted one day. Kast signed agreements on trade, mining and connectivity with the government of Rodrigo Paz. Jorge Canelas, Chile's former consul general in La Paz, called it "a hugely important, historic milestone" and said it was "likely" that relations would be restored during Paz's administration.
His first trip was to Buenos Aires on April 6, following a tradition set by his predecessors. During the 16-hour visit, Kast backed Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). He also thanked President Javier Milei for progress on the extradition of Galvarino Apablaza, a fugitive from Chilean justice.
On May 7 he traveled to San José, Costa Rica, for the handover of power from Rodrigo Chaves to Laura Fernández, of the conservative Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO). There he met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. That meeting drew criticism from the Palestinian community in Chile.
On June 29 he arrived in Asunción, Paraguay, for an official tour and the LXVIII Mercosur Summit, the South American trade bloc. He met with President Santiago Peña, signed agreements and addressed a special session of Paraguay's Congress. At the summit he also held a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He then traveled to Montevideo, where he met with Yamandú Orsi, a member of Uruguay's Frente Amplio and president since March 2025. It was his first official visit to a head of state from a different political camp. The Uruguay agenda had an economic focus, including a presentation to the Asociación de Dirigentes de Marketing.
With Bolivia, Kast completed the circuit of the three bordering countries. The rapprochement with La Paz raises the question of a possible resumption of diplomatic relations, broken off 48 years ago.
