Chile entered a new political phase as conservative leader José Antonio Kast formally assumed the presidency during a March 11 ceremony at the National Congress in Valparaíso, outlining an agenda focused on public security and stricter migration controls.

The 60-year-old lawyer and former far-right legislator secured the presidency after defeating communist candidate Jeannette Jara in a December run-off, succeeding left-wing president Gabriel Boric and ending a sharply contested electoral cycle. The inauguration brought together more than 1,000 guests, including several Latin American leaders and European representatives, reflecting the regional attention surrounding the transition.

Kast took the oath of office before the leadership of Congress, with Senate president Paulina Núñez placing the presidential sash on the new head of state. Shortly afterwards, the new president swore in members of his cabinet, completing the formal transfer of power inside the chamber.

During the inauguration speech, Kast vowed to "preserve the independence of the nation" and "uphold the Constitution and the laws."

The ceremony drew high-profile international attendees, among them Spain’s King Felipe VI and Argentina’s President Javier Milei, alongside leaders from across Latin America. However, several notable figures were absent, including some former Chilean presidents and a number of regional leaders who had initially been expected to attend, such as Brazilian President Lula da Silva.

Shortly after the proceedings concluded, Kast departed the Congress building aboard the traditional Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible used in Chilean state ceremonies, greeting military academies gathered for the occasion before heading to the presidential residence at Cerro Castillo for a private lunch with family members, officials and foreign guests.

Security and migration are expected to dominate the first phase of Kast’s administration. During the campaign, the conservative leader promised swift measures to address rising violent crime, including homicides, kidnappings and extortion cases that authorities have linked in part to transnational criminal groups.

Among the proposals under consideration are tighter border enforcement along Chile’s northern frontier and, most controversially, large-scale deportations of migrants without legal status. Kast has argued that restoring order and strengthening institutions will be central to stabilising the country’s social and economic climate.

The outgoing president, Gabriel Boric, left the Congress following the ceremony and returned to Santiago as a private citizen. In his final national address before the transfer of power, Boric said Chile had made progress during his administration and insisted the country was “better than four years ago”, while acknowledging that some reform projects remained unfinished.

Following the event, Kast travelled to the capital, where he is expected to begin outlining his policy priorities and deliver his first national address as president later in the evening.

His administration now faces the challenge of implementing a conservative governing agenda while navigating a politically divided Congress and a society still shaped by the reform debates of recent years.

Kast's economic platform, which has been broadly welcomed by investors, proposes $6bn in spending cuts over 18 months, though economists across the political spectrum have questioned whether such austerity is achievable without reducing social benefits. It also sets out plans to relax labour laws, cut red tape and axe corporate taxes to boost foreign investment.