Overview
- President-elect Jose Antonio Kast unveiled his cabinet Tuesday in Santiago, naming Fernando Barros as defense minister and Fernando Rabat to head justice and human rights.
- Both appointees previously represented Augusto Pinochet, with Barros leading the dictator's 1998 London defense against a Spanish extradition request and Rabat handling an embezzlement case.
- Human rights groups and relatives of the disappeared criticized Rabat's selection, describing it as an offense to victims and a signal of impunity.
- The justice and human rights portfolio continues to oversee cases tied to the 1973–1990 dictatorship, which left more than 3,200 people dead or missing and saw tens of thousands tortured or imprisoned.
- Kast takes office on March 11 after a security-focused landslide and has pledged national unity, saying the cabinet reflects a conviction to put Chile first.