Original article: José Toro sobre Kast y Kaiser: “Populismo rimbombante; cero profundidad, cero realidad de implementación”
The General Secretary of the PPD and candidate for deputy in District 10, José Toro Kemp, addressed the presidential candidates from the far right, José Antonio Kast (Republican Party) and Johannes Kaiser (National Libertarian Party), noting that their proposals exemplify «flamboyant populism» with «zero depth and reality» for implementation.
In an interview with the show La Mañanera, hosted by Javier Pineda Olcay, the lawyer was asked about his views on the presidential race. He pointed out that according to recent polls, the candidate from Unidad por Chile is solidifying a leadership position that places her firmly at the top of voter preferences, ensuring her passage to the second round.
«What has been established is that our candidate, Jeannette Jara, in the context of my party and myself, is likely to advance to the second round. This has remained relatively stable, indicating a range of about 25% to 28% of voter preferences, making it a probable phenomenon. Meanwhile, on the right, one might wonder which polls to believe, as several suggest a potential three-way tie between Kast, Matthei, and Kaiser. However, it is clear that Kaiser is gaining traction, while Kast has been stagnating for over a month, unable to exceed 20% or 22%. It seems that the general public has already discarded the idea of Evelyn Matthei’s candidacy (Chile Vamos), which may even be faltering behind Kaiser,» he stated.
Regarding the potential impact of so-called «useful votes,» Toro asserted that «they have little electoral effect.»
«I would rather call upon our base to consolidate Jeannette Jara’s advancement to the second round, as this also represents the possibility of winning in the second round. It’s a complex scenario that is not easy, but this is what we must work towards, since it is critical to counteract the narrative that the second round is already lost. The integration of the three candidates does not create a linear vote; it’s not the case that all options simply go to the far-right candidate who is likely to advance,» he affirmed.
«It Is Not Possible to Cut 6,000 Million Without Touching Social Rights»
According to the member of the strategic campaign team for the former Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Kaiser and Kast have demonstrated throughout the presidential race what the far-right means in our country.
He argued that when analyzing the content of their proposals, there is a clear «regression of social rights and a slide back toward authoritarianism.»
«Remember that Kast stated that he intended to implement many of his reforms through administrative processes, claiming there was no issue with that. This is a clear signal that he wants to govern almost by decree from the presidency, which is particularly concerning for a democratic system like ours. I believe that concerning social rights—the few that Chile has—we need to keep advancing and consolidating them, rather than losing them under the assumption that the market will solve all problems. The public must begin to see this as a probable option,» he stated.
Toro referenced Argentina, where the far-right government of Javier Milei has implemented a series of neoliberal measures that have resulted in a setback of social achievements and created a profound socio-economic crisis.
«We see the case of Argentina, which made a fiscal cut, but the cut disproportionately affects the working class and those in need, impacting individuals who require medical treatment,» he highlighted.
Regarding the proposed fiscal cuts from Kast ($6,000 million) and Kaiser ($15,000 million), the candidate for deputy in District 10 indicated that «it is not possible to make cuts without sacrificing social rights, which can affect pensions, health, and education.»
«So when they tell us, look, we are going to cut 6,000 million and 70% of that will be the administrative expenses of the state, they imply that the issue lies with the size of the Chilean state. In reality, only about 30% of Chile’s spending relates to its structure and ongoing funding. The remaining 70% pertains to social spending. This raises the question of where exactly the cuts will occur,» he questioned.
«Therefore, I am convinced that it is not feasible to cut 6,000 million, let alone more, without impacting social rights,» he concluded.
Flamboyant Populism, Yet with «Zero Depth»
During the interview with La Mañanera, José Toro was asked about the controversial proposals from the far-right presidential candidates regarding immigration policy, and whether he believes they could genuinely be implemented.
In response, he stated they are merely «populist and flamboyant phrases,» but «if one delves deeper, they have zero depth and zero reality.»
«It’s the same issue of claiming we will eradicate crime—it is not feasible; we shouldn’t deceive the public. The assertion of expelling all migrants is impractical. It simply cannot happen due to the number of flights required and the need for acceptance from the receiving countries. Generally speaking, this poses a significant challenge,» he suggested.
«Each flight that the Chilean government has attempted to send to Venezuela has often been rejected by the Venezuelan government. In most cases, the reconduction wouldn’t be possible if there hadn’t been an agreement with the Bolivian government. These things don’t work that way; no matter how some might want to portray it as strong-arming, foreign relations must be navigated accordingly. I believe this is severely problematic—not just the exercise of misleading the public but assuming that through intimidation one can achieve results,» expressed the District 10 parliamentary candidate covering the municipalities of Ñuñoa, Providencia, Santiago, Macul, San Joaquín, and La Granja.
«Jara Leads a Center-Left and Democratic Socialist Coalition»
Discussing Jeannette Jara’s government program, titled «A Chile That Delivers«, Toro remarked that it represents a leader of a center-left and democratic socialist coalition.
«I believe she is criticized for her association with the Communist Party, yet overall, I think this is perhaps the most centrist and moderate program we have seen even during administrations my party has participated in. This reflects our timely assessment of the current situation in the country, highlighting focal points that resonate with the main concerns of citizens,» he indicated.
«The top priority is security, which involves providing greater resources to Carabineros and increasing budgets. However, a point that the right struggles to acknowledge—between Chile Vamos and Republicans—is the lifting of banking secrecy, which is crucial for tracing the money trail. Addressing the money trail takes us to issues of organized crime and drug trafficking, which involve significant sums that remain undetected due to the lack of necessary intelligence tools. Moreover, this places us in a position akin to many countries worldwide that utilize this tool in combatting organized crime. The right often likes to compare themselves with these nations, yet they resist its implementation in Chile,» he questioned.
The PPD Secretary General underscored that security is a vital concern for the residents of District 10 as well as for the entire nation.
«In every meeting I have had with social organizations, particularly with the elderly, they all express the same sentiment—security, the fear of leaving home. However, we’re also discussing with neighbors and analyzing the data. For instance, when evidence shows that more people die by suicide than by homicide in our country, and fatalities from genuine accidents surpass those from homicide, it reminds us of the pressing need for prevention initiatives. We must address mental health through dedicated programs, as this is a major issue afflicting our society. If it doesn’t concern anyone that we’re losing more lives to suicide, I think we have the wrong focus and have not engaged in this dialogue at all,» he articulated.
The lawyer insisted on the necessity to implement preventative measures and encourage activities related to sports and culture, «as this can prevent young individuals with limited opportunities from falling prey to these large mafia groups that exploit them as soldiers.»
In the episode of La Mañanera on Monday, November 3, our director also spoke with Amelia Gallegos, a social housing leader.
You can watch the full program below:
