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Kast Escalates Clash With Maduro as Chile’s President-Elect Sets Rightward Course

China’s swift congratulations underscore Chile’s weight in the lithium contest with Washington.

Overview

  • He exchanged barbs with Nicolás Maduro after the runoff, calling him a “narco-dictator” as the Venezuelan leader compared him to Hitler and warned him over Venezuelan migrants.
  • On his first foreign trip as president-elect, he met Argentina’s Javier Milei in Buenos Aires, signaling closer ties with right-leaning allies in the region.
  • He said he supports efforts to end Maduro’s rule but maintained that Chile would not intervene directly in Venezuela.
  • He reiterated plans to deport roughly 300,000–340,000 undocumented migrants, most of them Venezuelans, citing crime concerns, and he takes office on March 11.
  • Beijing formally congratulated him and pledged continued cooperation as analysts expect a shift toward more market-driven lithium policy and closer alignment with Washington.