Chile and Bolivia, two neighboring countries in South America, are at the heart of a dramatic political transformation, with voters in both nations signaling a decisive turn to the right. In Chile, more than 15 million citizens headed to the polls on November 17, 2025, to cast ballots in one of the most polarizing presidential elections in recent memory. Meanwhile, Bolivia has just witnessed the swearing-in of Rodrigo Paz, a conservative outsider, ending nearly two decades of left-wing rule by the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party.
In Chile, the presidential contest has come down to a runoff between two sharply contrasting figures: Jeannette Jara, a 51-year-old candidate from the Communist Party and former labor minister in President Gabriel Boric’s government, and José Antonio Kast, a 59-year-old ultraconservative lawyer and founder of the Republican Party. According to Qazinform News Agency, neither candidate secured the majority needed to win outright in Sunday’s first round, with Jara receiving 26.7% of the vote and Kast close behind at 24.1%. The runoff is scheduled for December 14, 2025.
Mandatory voting was in place for the first time since the last cycle, and turnout was projected to be higher than in previous elections, when more than half of eligible voters stayed home. The stakes are high: Chileans were not only choosing a president but also electing a new Congress, with all 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and nearly half the Senate up for grabs. The outcome could lead to a right-leaning majority in both chambers, a first since the country’s transition from military rule in 1990.
The mood in Chile is one of palpable anxiety and division. Public security and migration dominated the campaign, reflecting widespread concerns about rising crime, kidnappings, extortion, and the presence of foreign criminal networks. While officials noted that the homicide rate has actually dropped by about 10% since 2022—now at six per 100,000 people, slightly above the U.S. level—the broader sense of insecurity remains acute. Kast has seized on these fears, promising to crack down on gang violence, build a border wall along the desert frontier with Bolivia, and expel undocumented migrants. "We needed a safe candidate, someone with a firm hand to bring economic growth, attract investment, create jobs, strengthen the police and give them support," said Ignacio Rojas, a 20-year-old Kast supporter, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Jara, on the other hand, has campaigned on expanding Chile’s social safety net and targeting money laundering and drug trafficking. She represents continuity with the outgoing Boric administration, which swept to power on the promise of progressive reforms but ran into stiff legislative opposition. The left-wing coalition currently holds a minority in Congress, and Jara faces an uphill battle in a political environment where nearly 70% of first-round votes went to right-wing candidates. Populist businessman Franco Parisi surprised many by securing 20% of the vote, while libertarian Johannes Kaiser and establishment conservative Evelyn Matthei took 14% and 12.5%, respectively.
Following the first round, both Matthei and Kaiser endorsed Kast, bolstering his chances in the runoff. However, not all conservative voters are guaranteed to fall in line. Parisi, whose anti-establishment message resonated with a significant swath of the electorate, has withheld a full endorsement, saying, "We don’t give anyone a blank check. The burden of proof lies with both candidates. They have to win people over."
The Chilean election is part of a broader regional trend sweeping Latin America, as voters across the continent express frustration with sluggish economies, rising prices, and the perceived shortcomings of leftist governments. As Patricio Navia, a Chilean analyst at New York University, told the Los Angeles Times, "Voters are upset with governments all over the region." In neighboring Argentina, radical libertarian Javier Milei has already shaken up the political landscape, while right-wing leaders have held onto power in Ecuador, El Salvador, and Panama. The shift is seen as a boon for the United States, as new leaders look to strengthen ties and attract investment, particularly in resource-rich nations like Chile.
Meanwhile, Bolivia has undergone its own seismic change. On October 19, 2025, Rodrigo Paz clinched a surprise victory in the presidential election, ending the MAS party’s nearly 20-year grip on power. Sworn in on November 8, Paz’s win is, in the words of political consultant Erik Geurts, "definitely a turning point in Bolivia," as quoted by Fair Observer. The MAS model, built on centralized control, gas rents, and heavy subsidies, had run its course, Geurts argued, with depleted reserves and a Central Bank stretched thin by political spending.
Paz’s ascent was something of a Cinderella story. Trailing badly in the first round, he ultimately defeated former president Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga in the runoff, despite offering a relatively vague economic platform. Paz presented himself as a less threatening agent of change, promising a break from the past without the shock therapy that often spooks voters. He now faces a daunting economic landscape: inflation, shrinking gas output, fiscal deficits, and an overvalued currency. While Paz has publicly rejected floating the exchange rate, he may have little choice but to seek International Monetary Fund support, a move fraught with political risk in Bolivia.
Nevertheless, Paz begins his presidency with a strong hand in parliament. His party and two pro-business allies control more than 80% of seats, theoretically giving him the votes needed for structural reform. These alliances are bolstered by personal ties—Quiroga has pledged cooperation, and influential politician Samuel Doria Medina has lent advisors and political capital. Yet, as Fair Observer notes, Paz’s coalition is untested, his party grew too quickly to be fully cohesive, and his vice president, Edmand Lara Montaño, is a controversial figure known for blunt public statements.
Bolivia remains deeply polarized: highlands versus lowlands, indigenous versus urban populations, and MAS loyalists versus opponents. Former president Evo Morales, still a powerful force, has broken with his party and formed a new movement, Evo Pueblo, retaining strong support in the northern Chapare region. Geurts cautions that managing Morales and his base—who "really see him like a kind of a messiah"—will be Paz’s primary challenge.
Both Chile and Bolivia now stand at critical junctures. In Chile, the December 14 runoff will determine whether the country embraces a hard-right law-and-order agenda or recommits to progressive reforms. In Bolivia, Paz’s presidency will test whether the new rightward cycle in Latin America can deliver on its promises of stability, growth, and effective governance. The region’s political pendulum has swung, but whether it brings lasting change remains to be seen.
As the dust settles, voters in both nations are left weighing their hopes for security, prosperity, and a government that listens—while the rest of Latin America watches closely, wondering who might be next.
