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Gabriel Boric has become Chile’s youngest-ever president-elect with an unexpectedly large victory over his far-right rival in a polarizing race.
Boric, 35, garnered nearly 56 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent his closest rival, Jose Antonio Kast got in a poll that recorded participation of tens of thousands of Chileans.
Report says supporters of the former protest leader, Boric took to the streets of the capital and other cities after Kast’s concession, honking car horns in approval, brandishing pro-Boric placards, waving the rainbow LGBTQ flag and shouting: “Viva Chile!”
Boric had campaigned on the promise of installing a “social welfare” state, increasing taxes and social spending in a country with one of the world’s largest gaps between rich and poor.
Branded a “communist” by his detractors, he vowed in his first official address Sunday to “expand social rights” in Chile, but to do so with “fiscal responsibility.”
“We will do it protecting our macro-economy, we will do it well… to improve pensions and healthcare,” Boric added.
Meanwhile, Boric’s arch rival, Jose Antonio Kast has congratulated him “on his great triumph.”
“From today on, he is the president-elect of Chile and he deserves all our respect and constructive cooperation. Chile always comes first.” Kast submitted.
