Chile: President Kast questions support for military in security roles

Chilean President José Antonio Kast has sharply criticized political sectors that, in his view, previously disparaged the armed forces but are now demanding their intervention in public security. The president's remarks came during the UDI party's general council meeting in Santiago.

Kast addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the deployment of the armed forces to assist in crime prevention, particularly in the wake of a recent tragic incident where a 12-year-old boy was killed during a carjacking. He expressed frustration that those who once denigrated military and police actions are now advocating for military presence on the streets.

“

But if the soldier acts and if they go out with lethal weapons, will you defend them? Surely you will leave them abandoned.

"But if the soldier acts and if they go out with lethal weapons, will you defend them? Surely you will leave them abandoned," Kast stated, questioning the commitment of these sectors to protect military personnel who might be forced to use lethal force. He stressed that if the armed forces are to be called upon for assistance, it must be done responsibly.

"If we are going to ask for help, we will do it responsibly and with clarity that, if they have to collaborate, they will have the political and legal backing that guarantees that none of them will end up condemned to 10, 20 or 15 years," the president asserted. He also dedicated time to commemorate Jaime Guzmán, the founder of the UDI, on the 35th anniversary of his assassination.

“

If we are going to ask for help, we will do it responsibly and with clarity that, if they have to collaborate, they will have the political and legal backing that guarantees that none of them will end up condemned to 10, 20 or 15 years.