President José Antonio Kast charged on Thursday that "not everyone is looking out for Chile's interests", saying some instead prioritize "their personal or political interests a few years down the road". According to T13, he made the remarks during the launch of Choose Chile at La Moneda Palace.
The outlet does not detail what Choose Chile involves or who attended. Judging by the tone of his speech, the President was addressing an audience connected to investment. Indeed, he focused his remarks on the signals the country must send to attract capital.
Kast defended spending cuts. "We are putting the house in order," he said. He then acknowledged a "complex fiscal situation" and said everyone had had to "tighten their belts." According to the President, the aim is to send positive signals, because "no one is going to come and invest in a country that is in disarray."
The President also took aim at populism. He said examples around the world "are clear" and that those countries "do not move forward." He added that it is "sometimes very easy to give in to populism" and that responsibility today will bring "good results tomorrow."
Kast did not say whom he was referring to. However, according to T13, his remarks come at a particular political moment. Former President Michelle Bachelet opened the door to a third presidential bid. Also on Thursday, she met with the leaders of the opposition parties and former President Gabriel Boric at Fundación Horizonte Ciudadano.
If the criticism is aimed at that camp, the message has a clear cost and benefit. The government is seeking to establish the idea that the opposition is thinking about the next election rather than putting public finances in order. The opposition, meanwhile, is only beginning to reorganize after its 2025 defeat.
For ordinary citizens, the underlying debate concerns fiscal tightening and its effects on public spending. The President provided no figures for the cuts during his remarks, according to T13's report.
Kast closed with a date. He noted that 2027 will be a year without elections and presented it as an opportunity for Chile to move forward "as never before" through responsible public spending.
