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About 15 million Chileans are called to the polls this Sunday to elect the next president of the nation. In the electoral contest, two candidates from opposite poles are competing for their arrival at La Moneda: the far-right José Antonio Kast and the left-wing leader, Gabriel Boric. The winner will put an end to 30 years of political alternation between the two center blocks that divided power after the end of the military dictatorship in 1990.
In the homes, in the cafes and on the streets of Chile it seems that there is nothing else to talk about. José Antonio Kast and Gabriel Boric are the topic of conversation for Chileans who, in a few hours, will begin the voting process to elect the successor to President Sebastián Piñera.
In total, 2,500 voting centers will open their doors throughout the country this Sunday, December 19, at eight in the morning local time and will close at six in the afternoon. The results are expected to come in fairly quickly on Sunday night.
Both candidates for the Chilean presidency have emerged outside of the main Chilean political parties. While Kast, from the Republican party, is seen as a defender of the policies imposed during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), Boric, from the Frente Amplio party, is a former student leader who threatens to bury the neoliberal economic model of the country.
Chileans are still undecided for this Sunday’s vote
Kast and Boric are two antagonistic candidates who are vying for the presidency of Chile this Sunday in a “very close” election in terms of the result, as assured by the Chilean Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Rodrigo Delgado.
In the most recent polls, Boric would win the ballot with between 5 and 14 points of advantage, however, the panorama remains uncertain, since the leftist was second in the first round with 25.8% of the votes, while Kast obtained 27.9%.
The campaign is over and it is time for the candidates and their commandos to remain silent, so that the citizens can make their decision freely. pic.twitter.com/TnGHX3Qrhk
– José Antonio Kast Rist 🇨🇱 (@joseantoniokast) December 17, 2021
But, according to a survey conducted by the consulting group AtlasIntel of 2,218 potential voters, Kast has 48.5% of the intention to vote, ahead of Boric with 48.4%.
In the first round, on November 21, the vote was only 47% of the population eligible to participate and, according to the latest forecasts, there is a large percentage of undecided in this second round.
“I am not going to go, I like Chile as it is now, and those two candidates are not going to achieve anything. They are very extreme, ”said Melany Cavieres, a Chilean student, who was questioned by the EFE agency.
“None represent my ideas. I’m going to vote, but only to prevent the one I don’t want from coming out, “said Luis Felipe, a resident of Santiago.
Economic bastion or welfare state?
José Antonio Kast, 55, is compared with the Brazilian politician Jair Bolsonaro, they say that he is a fan of Donald Trump and even that he is aligned with Pinochetism because of the ties that members of his family had with the former military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.
The polarization among Chileans is evident when, from the other bank, the followers of Gabriel Boric, 35, defend him for his inclusive proposals with various sectors of society, and with the idea of putting an end to the neoliberal model that dates back to the time of the dictatorship.
😱🇨🇱There are only a few hours left until the election begins. This December 19 will be a historic day, where no one can subtract. Let’s be democracy, future, respect, inclusion, truth and union. Chile needs all of us to live better. pic.twitter.com/iFh154socz
– Gabriel Boric Font (@gabrielboric) December 18, 2021
From aggressive and nationalist speeches, both candidates have become more moderate as the electoral race has become tighter.
“Both candidates have been making important adjustments to their programs, they have introduced concepts of prudence and realism,” said the president of the Central Bank of Chile, Mario Marcel this week.
This Sunday, Chile will choose between two very different visions of the future. The world will see if the South American country is betting more to continue being a bastion of economic stability or if, on the contrary, it allows itself to be seduced by a series of “profound changes” to transform the country into a dreamed-of welfare state.
With Reuters, EFE and local media
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