International Right-Wing Leaders Gather for Madrid Forum in Santiago

Leaders from right-wing organizations across 25 countries met in Santiago, Chile, at the Casa Piedra events center for the Madrid Forum to coordinate agendas on economy, security, and migration. The event featured prominent figures including Argentine President Javier Milei, Chilean President José Antonio Kast, and representatives from the Spanish party Vox and the U.S.-based Heritage Foundation. During the gathering, President Milei used confrontational language, referring to left-wing citizens as dirty leftists and criticizing the governments of the Concertación and Nueva Mayoría. President Kast, who founded the forum, adopted a more moderate tone by emphasizing the rule of law, private property, and the fight against organized crime, stating that social urgencies are a greater adversary than the political left.

Internal political tensions emerged regarding the event's nature and the participation of Chilean officials. Deputy Francisco Orrego of Renovación Nacional defended Milei's communication style and Kast's right to attend the forum, while members of the Evópoli party had previously suggested that President Kast should not attend. The event's framing varied significantly across reports. A center-left source characterized the gathering as a meeting of the global far-right and highlighted past calls by participants to hunt migrants, penalize abortion, and target pro-Palestinian activists. In contrast, center-right sources focused on the ideological distinctions between the participants, contrasting Milei's aggressive rhetoric with Kast's attempt to maintain a republican tone.