[By Dina Escalante, Jeannette Jara’s command in UK] I am grateful for having been invited to give you broad information about what is at stake in the coming presidential elections in Chile on the 16th of November 2025. But, first, on behalf of Chile’s Communist Party, I want to express the strongest condemnation of the deployment of an US war fleet against Venezuela. This act represents an aggression against Latin America as a whole. Our strong solidarity with the people of Venezuela. As we have said before: Yankee Go Home!
Coming to Chile. Chile is a neoliberal paradise. Just about everything is privatized. Health, education, water, electricity, telephone service, gas, social security, pensions, motorways, rivers, lakes and substantial parts of the sea are owned by private capital, both national and international. This model, imposed by force and fear by the dictatorship, was continued by false considerations of modernism and negotiations with a right-wing sector that benefited from the increasing privatization.
The result is that in Chile the richest 10% owns over 80% of GDP and the richest 1% owns 50% of national wealth. So this election takes place in a context dominated by unprecedented levels of socio-economic inequality, 30 years of frustrated hopes and the rise of the extreme right.
Progressive forces in Chile agreed to compete in primary elections and form a broad coalition with a single candidate to confront the right in November. In this primary election, Jeannette Jara was elected as the presidential candidate with more than 60% of the vote last June.
Jeannette Jara, 51 years old, of very humble beginnings, is a leading member of the Communist Party and has been Minister of Labour in the current government. As minister, she was responsible for completing proposals that were needed to improve the situation of the working class. They are the law that seeks to eradicate sexual harassment at work, the law reducing the working week from 45 to 40 hours, has increased the basic pension and has also increased the minimum wage.
The political coalition under the leadership of Jeannette Jara includes 12 political parties, the key ones being the Communist and Socialist parties and Frente Amplio.
Jeannette Jara has performed very well at TV and radio interviews, and, especially, at debate with candidates of the right. Her charisma, empathy, honesty and experience of life are evident to the people
Jeannette Jara’s electoral campaign has moved away from traditional practices of political marketing. Her campaign is door-to-door, community-to-community, city-to-city, with campaigners meeting potential electors in the flesh. Jeannette Jara herself has already carried out the first tour of the country and plans many more. Her campaign has sparked many grassroot initiatives, such as “Cumbian dancers with Jeannette”, “Evangelicals with Jeannette”, “Private Universities with Jeannette”, “Teachers with Jeannette” and even “Chungungos (a Chilean otter) with Jeannettte”.
The published programme included 177 measures with focus on inclusive, sustainable and fair economic growth that benefits most people, with emphasis on security, democracy, health, housing and education.
But recently, Jeannette has presented this programme as general guidelines of a programme that still needs to include the proposals she has received during her tour of the country.
All in all, as presidential candidate, Jeannette has already shifted the agenda to the left.
In relation to the right-wing political parties, they could not agree on a coalition and decided not to participate in primary elections. They are supporters of Pinochet, and their programs look the same. The only difference seems to be who represents the traditional right and who is far-right and how far-right.
The main contestant on the right is Jose Antonio Kast, the son of a member of the German Nazi party and a fervent and nostalgic supporter of Pinochet’s dictatorship.
Kast and his campaign are ideologically far-right. He is the main leader of the Republican party that wishes to deepen the neoliberal system in Chile. There is evidence of his association with Bolsonaro in Brazil and Milei in Argentina and is strongly connected to the global far-right, primarily Vox in Spain.
Kast’s programme is basically “a scorched earth policy”: crippling public services, privatising essentials, cornering state universities, abandoning the weakest, returning total control of health, education, and old age to the market. A country where those who cannot pay simply will not have the right to ask. And those who dare to protest will be repressed. In short, Kast will use Milei’s motosierra.
So, the choice in Chile’s coming election is starkly clear. Either Jeannette Jara wins the presidency and leads an economic and social programme that reduces gross inequalities and improves the lives of millions of Chileans and, above all, preserves democracy. Or Kast, who if elected would substantially and unapologetically increase inequality and undermine democracy in Pinochetista fashion.
We may need your solidarity support again. Let’s hope it does not come to that. Jeannette Jara is the candidate against pinochetismo that is raising its ugly face again.
We recall these cries from the past: NO PASARÁN! VENCEREMOS!
Viva Latin America!
Viva Chile!