President José Antonio Kast arrives at his first State of the Nation address this Monday facing eroding public support and scrutiny over political decisions that clash with his campaign commitments. According to the latest Plaza Pública Cadem poll, the president’s approval rating has slipped to 38%, marking a steady decline from the 51% he recorded in March.
Disapproval has reached 58%, a two-percentage-point increase from the previous survey. The decline has been particularly sharp in May, a month in which the executive branch's average approval fell by three points to 39%. The Cadem study notes that support has dropped significantly among lower socioeconomic groups, regional residents, and centrist voters, with approval in these segments falling by 14 to 15 points.
Despite the numbers, public interest in the presidential address has grown. Fifty-seven percent of respondents say they have “a lot” or “a fair amount” of interest in the speech, with expectations focused on announcements regarding the cost of living, security, and immigration. Fifty-nine percent expect concrete measures to ease economic pressure on families, while security priorities are divided between tougher sentencing for organized crime, neighborhood revitalization, and judicial reform.
The President’s defense against criticism
Ahead of his speech at the National Congress, Kast responded on Sunday to criticism regarding the retention of “Second Floor” advisors who hold elected positions, as well as the appointment of ambassadors linked to defeated political campaigns. During interviews with CNN Chile and Chilevisión Noticias, the president downplayed concerns about contradictions with his time in the opposition.
Regarding the continued roles of metropolitan regional councilors Víctor Valdés, Ignacio Dülger, and Álvaro Bellolio within the government, Kast maintained that the situation does not involve double salaries, but rather distinct functions. When pressed on his campaign promise to prevent the holding of multiple paid state positions, the president justified the adjustment: “When you make a decision, you aim for a final goal. Our goal is to cut public spending.”
President Kast acknowledged that the experience of governing has modified his initial view of the promises he made as an opposition leader. “It’s always different once you’re in the driver’s seat, but it can be better. We are working to tune up everything that might have been out of key,” Kast stated in the aforementioned interviews. This defense comes at a time when both the opposition and members of the ruling coalition have criticized what they describe as “consolation prizes” in the current administration’s diplomatic and technical appointments.
