Chilean President Kast Distances Himself from Milei's Comments on Leftists

Chilean President José Antonio Kast stated that he would not have used the phrase "filthy leftists" to describe political rivals, though he declined to further comment on the words of Argentine President Javier Milei. The controversial remarks were made by Milei during the Madrid Forum, a gathering of conservative right wing figures held in Santiago. While Kast distanced himself from the specific language, he emphasized his focus on the official working meeting he held with Milei at La Moneda.

In addition to the verbal controversy, President Kast defended Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna amid tensions with Argentina regarding the sovereignty of the Strait of Magellan. This conflict follows comments by an Argentine general and a dispute over a decree correcting Argentina's stance on the strait. Kast noted that while the correction is expected, he did not find it reasonable to demand Milei sign the document during his visit to Chile. He described his valuation of the Foreign Minister's work as very positive, even as opposition parliamentarians seek to interpellate the minister. A center right source framed the event as Kast shielding his minister and managing diplomatic tensions, while a center left source focused more narrowly on Kast avoiding the controversy of Milei's statements.