A Shift in Strategy
President José Antonio Kast delivered his first State of the Nation address to a joint session of Congress in Valparaíso this Monday, signaling the end of his administration's initial setup phase. His speech centered on public safety, economic recovery, and structural reforms in the Macrozona Sur. Following the address, the President traveled to Cerro Castillo Palace to formalize three key initiatives: the creation of a National Registry of Vandals and Public Disorder Offenders, a decree for the repatriation of irregular migrants, and a legislative request to raise the fiscal debt ceiling by $6.2 billion through 2026.
Security and Administrative Penalties
Regarding security, the executive branch proposed a system of administrative penalties for those involved in public disturbances. Deputy Interior Minister Máximo Pavez explained that the registry would bar individuals sanctioned for assaulting police officers, erecting barricades, or damaging property from obtaining passports and driver’s licenses. Furthermore, offenders would lose access to state social benefits, including free university tuition and the Universal Guaranteed Pension.
Criticism from Educators
Teachers' unions were highly critical of the address. Mario Aguilar, president of the Teachers' College, described the speech as "self-congratulatory" and condemned the lack of measures to address mental health or the outdated school curriculum. "There wasn't a single mention of these root causes; the President only focused on surveillance, repression, and punishment," Aguilar told Cooperativa, emphasizing that the government is ignoring school infrastructure deficiencies and budget cuts in the sector.
Healthcare Sector Discontent
The healthcare sector also voiced its dissatisfaction. While the President highlighted an 80% resolution rate for critical oncology cases and successful contact with 99% of the 33,000 patients on the cancer waiting list, Fenats president Emerson Berríos called the speech "deeply contradictory." Berríos argued that the administration is doubling down on fiscal austerity—which has led to massive budget cuts in healthcare—while simultaneously promising to improve public services. Former Health Minister Enrique Paris praised the oncology plan but lamented the lack of concrete announcements regarding the non-oncological waiting list, which currently exceeds three million procedures.
Tensions in the Macrozona Sur
Regarding the Macrozona Sur, Kast vowed that the region "will no longer be a refuge for terrorists" and announced a reform to the Indigenous Law to allow land to be leased or mortgaged under market conditions. This proposal drew an immediate response from La Araucanía Governor René Saffirio, who challenged the President’s claims regarding the state of tourism in the region. On the social media platform X, Saffirio stated that "La Araucanía is experiencing one of its best tourism periods in decades," citing Sernatur data showing that foreign arrivals doubled from 166,000 in 2023 to 328,000 in 2024.
Business Sector Response
Meanwhile, the business sector welcomed the pro-growth agenda. Sergio Pérez, president of the National Confederation of Cargo Transport (CNTC), backed the focus on route security but insisted on the "imperative need" to pass a Cargo Transport Law as a "cornerstone project" to modernize the industry. From the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, María Teresa Vial noted that the message "clearly addresses the fiscal emergency," while Icare’s Holger Paulmann underscored the urgency of restoring investor confidence through lasting political agreements on energy and human capital.
