Kast's riskiest bet: tough stance on crime, unexpected rift in the right

Chilean President José Antonio Kast's government has launched "Operation Cancerbero," a highly publicized transfer of 687 high-risk inmates to the La Laguna prison in Talca. The operation, involving over 50 vehicles and helicopters, was broadcast live on television and YouTube, drawing comparisons to El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele. This visible display of control is part of a larger "Agenda Against Organized Crime and Terrorism" (ACOT), comprising over 30 initiatives to strengthen security policies. The government aims to regain political ground after Kast's approval ratings dropped significantly, with the operation reportedly boosting his approval in a recent poll. However, the ACOT reforms, particularly proposed constitutional amendments, have unified the left-wing opposition and fractured the right-wing coalition. Critics argue the reforms threaten individual liberties and concentrate excessive power in the presidency. One controversial amendment would allow the president to declare a state of exception for up to 240 days without congressional approval, granting powers to detain, relocate, or restrict individuals deemed suspicious, and intercept private communications. Another amendment proposes stripping convicted organized crime or terrorism offenders of social rights for up to 15 years, even after serving their sentences. Historians note that security has been Kast's central platform, and he is now using it to shape the government's agenda. The government defends the operation's extensive media coverage, with the undersecretary of Justice stating, "The hand has changed here."

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Here the hand has changed