(MENAFN) Voters in Chile cast ballots Sunday in a presidential election dominated by escalating anxieties over criminal violence and immigration, with the contest poised to trigger a decisive December runoff between ideological extremes.

Eight contenders are competing for the nation's top office, but the race to the Palacio de la Moneda has crystallized into a polarizing showdown between the governing coalition's nominee and ultra-conservative opposition forces.

Radar Electoral's latest major polling data projects a critical Dec. 14 runoff between the two frontrunners. Jeannette Jara, 51, representing the Communist Party and a former cabinet member under President Gabriel Boric, commands approximately 28% of voter support. Far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast, who established the Republican Party and lost the 2021 runoff to Boric, holds second position with roughly 20%.

The traditional conservative wing faces severe fragmentation, with two additional prominent contenders fighting for runoff placement: Johannes Kaiser from the National Libertarian Party has unexpectedly climbed to 15%, narrowly surpassing veteran center-right politician Evelyn Matthei of the Chile Vamos Party, who registers 14%.

Security Concerns Drive Electoral Agenda
Despite Chile maintaining its status as one of Latin America's most secure nations, perceived threats have seized control of campaign discourse.

An October Ipsos study revealed that nearly two-thirds of Chilean adults—63%—identify crime and violence as their paramount worry. Homicide rates have climbed, and while the figure of 6 murders per 100,000 residents remains comparatively low internationally, the uptick has severely impacted public confidence.

Immigration irregularities have emerged as another decisive campaign flashpoint. Chile's migrant population, predominantly Venezuelan, has surged twofold over seven years to constitute 8.8% of the country's 20 million residents. Right-wing contenders have explicitly linked undocumented arrivals to escalating criminal incidents.

Competing Visions: Social Reform Versus Authoritarian Tactics

The four leading candidates present starkly divergent strategies on security and migration—the election's defining battlegrounds—underscoring deep ideological rifts.

Jara leads a nine-party center-left alliance, promoting social continuity, economic restructuring and anti-corruption initiatives. Her agenda prioritizes boosting average household earnings and reinforcing social welfare infrastructure.

Regarding security, she proposes annual investments of $700 million toward police forces and anti-money laundering operations, including eliminating banking confidentiality to trace illegal finances. On immigration, Jara endorses a compulsory biometric census for immigrant identification and workforce integration programs, calling for an enhanced National Migration System.

Right-wing Kast positions himself as the current administration's ultimate political adversary. A vocal supporter of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, he campaigns on demands for a "heavy hand" to reestablish order.

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