SANTIAGO — Chileans headed to the polls Sunday to elect a new president amid mounting concerns over rising crime and irregular migration, setting the stage for a likely far-left versus far-right runoff in December.

While eight candidates are competing, the race for the Palacio de La Moneda has tightened into a showdown between the ruling coalition’s candidate and the ultra-conservative opposition.

Major polling by Radar Electoral points to a high-stakes Dec. 14 runoff between Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, 51, who leads with about 28% of voter intention, and far-right contender José Antonio Kast, founder of the Republican Party, at roughly 20%. Kast previously lost the 2021 runoff to Gabriel Boric.

The traditional right remains fragmented. National Libertarian Party candidate Johannes Kaiser has surged unexpectedly to 15%, edging veteran center-right politician Evelyn Matthei of Chile Vamos, who stands at 14%.

Despite remaining among Latin America’s safest countries, Chile’s rising sense of insecurity has defined the election.

An October Ipsos survey found that 63% of Chilean adults view crime and violence as their top concern. Although the homicide rate remains comparatively low at six per 100,000 people, the increase has shaken public confidence.

Irregular migration has also become a central issue. The migrant population—primarily Venezuelans—has doubled over seven years to 8.8% of Chile’s 20 million residents. Right-wing candidates have linked the rise in violent crime to undocumented immigration.

Jara leads a coalition of nine center-left parties and campaigns on social continuity, economic reforms and anti-corruption measures.

Her platform includes increasing family income, strengthening public services and investing $700 million annually in police and anti-money-laundering efforts.

On migration, she supports biometric data collection and labor integration programs.

Kast, a vocal admirer of late dictator Augusto Pinochet, calls for a heavy-handed “Relentless Plan,” including maximum-security prisons, isolation for drug lords and tougher sentencing.

He has revived a controversial proposal to dig a trench along the northern border to block irregular migrants and vows to eliminate state benefits for undocumented immigrants. His father’s Nazi Party membership and his brother’s role in the Pinochet regime remain points of contention.

Matthei, 72, focuses on institutional stability and security. She proposes adding 10,000 police officers, creating a Military Border Police and criminalizing unauthorized entry into the country. She backs mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and foreign prisoners.

Kaiser, the election’s surprise contender, uses reactionary rhetoric and appeals to discontented younger voters. His proposals include mass expulsions, a refugee camp for deportees, restoring compulsory military service and reinstating the death penalty for serious crimes.

With mandatory voting now in place, turnout is expected to be significantly higher—an unpredictable factor in a deeply polarized political landscape.

Alongside the presidential vote, parliamentary elections are also scheduled for Nov. 16. — Agencies