Far-right, Pinochet supporter, admirer of Donald Trump and his hardline approach… against weaker countries without nuclear weapons, he found a clear path forward with the non-compliance and overall poor performance of the supposedly leftist government of Gabriel Boric, the virulent propaganda of the mainstream media, and the virulent and effective campaign against The main opposition candidate, communism, did not receive the full and sincere support of the president.

Less than two months have passed since the Pinochet supporter, who attended the meeting of right-wing leaders convened by Trump, took office, and he already has tens of thousands of Chileans in the streets protesting his anti-democratic measures and trying to overturn the few positive actions Boric may have taken.

Thus, demonstrations were reported in at least 15 cities to challenge the Comptroller General's Office's withdrawal of 43 environmental decrees.

Thousands of people mobilized in Santiago and other Chilean cities on World Water Day to express their rejection of recent environmental decisions by José Antonio Kast's government, in a day that focused on the protection of ecosystems and access to water resources. The demonstration, organized by social and environmental organizations, brought together protesters under the slogan “Don’t ‘Kast-igate’ Nature.”

These regulations included provisions for the protection of species such as Darwin’s frog and the Humboldt penguin, the creation of protected areas and decontamination plans in critical zones like Lake Villarrica, as well as regulations on industrial emissions.

A report by Mongabay Latam indicated that among the withdrawn regulations were six decrees intended to declare protected areas in the Atacama region. These initiatives sought to safeguard 10 high-altitude wetlands, including salt flats and high Andean lagoons, within the framework of the National Lithium Strategy promoted by the previous government.

Mauricio Lorca, a researcher and professor at the University of Atacama, described the decision as “extremely regrettable,” and explained that “these areas are now at the mercy of the expansion of capital that takes the form of lithium mining.”

From the organizing groups, criticism also focused on access to drinking water. Cristóbal Rodríguez, national spokesperson for the Movement for the Defense and Access to Water, Land, and the Environment (Modatima), told EFE that in Chile there are still approximately 1.4 million people without access to this basic resource.

Furthermore, thousands of Chilean students protested on Thursday and Friday against the far-right president, who is considering cuts to free university tuition after reducing the Ministry of Education's budget, AFP reported. The agency also reported that hundreds of students were attacked by security forces as they marched near La Moneda Palace, where Kast was finalizing his Energy Emergency Law.

Another, more reactionary, news outlet, the INFOBAE agency, gleefully reported how Kast was following Trump's anti-immigrant policies to the letter.

"We denounce the current government's anti-popular and anti-worker agenda, which has favored the wealthiest, seeking to lower their taxes and passing the cost of the oil crisis onto the working class," Eric Campos, general secretary of the Central Union of Workers (CUT), told EFE.

The union leader alluded to the increase in gasoline prices (32% for gasoline and 62% for diesel) implemented at the end of March due to the rise in oil prices following the war in the Middle East, a measure that sparked protests against the government.

"We want to stop the anxiety generated by these announcements, the cuts to programs, and the rulings that allow for the abusive application of measures to reduce working hours," he emphasized.

In recent days, the government announced cuts in various ministries, including a reduction of 32.721 billion pesos (approximately US$35 million) to the Ministry of Social Development and Family, affecting programs aimed at children and youth.

A FURTHER STEP IN THE SURRENDER

Chile and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding to exploit critical minerals such as copper and lithium, as well as rare earth elements, key to manufacturing cutting-edge technology and electric vehicles.

The United States seeks closer ties with countries that produce these raw materials, in a context of global energy transition and competition with China, which currently holds a dominant position in this market.

It's worth recalling that one day after assuming the presidency of Chile, on March 11, the far-right José Antonio Kast signed a joint declaration with the United States to develop projects involving critical minerals.

The signed memorandum, or protocol of intent, represents a further step toward a bilateral agreement on this matter, explained the Chilean Foreign Ministry.

Chile is the world's leading copper producer, accounting for almost a quarter of global supply, and the second-largest producer of lithium. In contrast, its participation in the rare earth market is marginal.

Rare earth elements are 17 chemical elements essential for the electronics industry, electric vehicles, wind generators, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

The two countries also signed a security agreement, through which the United States will provide Chile with one million dollars to equip its civil police with more advanced technology.

THE INSERTION OF PINOCHETISM

Kast represents the triumph of the far right, the vindication of Pinochetism, the strengthening of conservative options in Latin America, to the liking of architect Donald Trump, and the crushing of the left's dreams of change that stemmed from the so-called "social uprising," the attempt to overthrow the Constitution bequeathed by the coup-plotting general.

José Antonio Kast asserted that, if Pinochet were alive, he would have voted for him: "We would have had tea together."

Pinochet-era identity nostalgia is documented, among other references, in a Euronews report which also states that Germany confirmed to the AP agency “that an identity card from the country’s Federal Archives proves” that José Antonio’s father, Michael Kast, “joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, the NSDAP, on September 1, 1942.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff