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Chile's Polarized Race Enters Pre‑Vote Silence Ahead of Nov. 16 Election

Polls put Jeannette Jara first in Sunday’s vote, with a runoff expected next month.

Overview

  • Campaigns ended Thursday and a legally mandated blackout on rallies and political advertising began Friday.
  • Jeannette Jara closed in Valparaíso stressing security and living costs, José Antonio Kast finished in Concepción behind protective glass with a hardline crime and immigration pitch, and Evelyn Matthei wrapped up in Santiago pledging faster growth and stronger support for police.
  • Roughly 15.7 million eligible citizens must vote in presidential and parliamentary races, and a Dec. 14 second round is set if no candidate passes 50%.
  • Latest Cadem polling shows Jara at 29%, Kast at 24%, Matthei at 16%, and libertarian Johannes Kaiser at 13%, underscoring a split right vying to face Jara in a runoff.
  • Reporting describes a sharply divided climate that has moved into daily interactions, often framed as a choice between “Pinochetista” or “communist.”