Chile’s Kast Approval Slips to 30% as Disapproval Hits a Term-High 60%
POLITICS · CHILE
Key Facts
- —The country Chile is governed by José Antonio Kast, a right-wing president who took office on 11 March 2026 for a four-year term.
- —What happened Criteria’s weekly poll, published on 4 October 2026, put Kast’s approval at 30% and disapproval at 60%. Fieldwork ran online on 1–2 October, Teletrece reported.
- —The numbers Approval fell one point from 31% on 27 September; disapproval rose two points from 58%. BioBioChile said 60% is Kast’s highest disapproval in the Criteria series.
- —What it means for you Weaker support usually narrows a president’s room in Congress, where Kast’s 2027 budget is under debate. Policy direction has not changed.
- —Still open Criteria’s sample size for this wave was not given in the reports reviewed. Cadem’s first October reading was not yet available when Criteria published.
Kast approval in Chile slipped one point to 30% in the weekly Criteria poll published on Sunday 4 October 2026. Disapproval rose two points to 60%, the highest Criteria has recorded since he took office in March.
The survey was taken online on 1 and 2 October, according to Teletrece (T13). It lands in a week of rising unemployment and higher fuel prices, as Congress debates Kast’s first budget.
What the Criteria Poll Shows
Criteria, a Santiago polling firm, publishes a weekly reading of presidential approval drawn from an online panel. BioBioChile and El Dínamo both reported the 30% and 60% figures on Sunday.
The previous edition, published on 27 September, had Kast at 31% approval and 58% disapproval, La Tercera reported. On 20 September he stood at 29% and 59%.
Over five weekly releases, approval has moved inside a narrow band between 29% and 31%. Disapproval is what has drifted, from 55% on 13 September to 60% now.
That early-September reading of 30% is covered in Chile President Kast Approval Falls to 30% in New Poll. This week the new element is disapproval, not approval.
How It Compares With Cadem
Cadem, the country’s most widely quoted weekly pollster, closed September with an average approval of 35%, down four points. Its monthly disapproval average reached 60%, up three, according to Cadem’s report of 27 September.
Cadem’s last weekly reading of September put approval at 37% and disapproval at 58%. The two firms use different panels, so their levels differ while their direction matches.
The Economy Behind the Numbers
Criteria found that 62% of respondents think the economy is worse than six months ago, up 13 points from August. T13 and BioBioChile both reported that 49% expect it to deteriorate further.
Official data have given that mood something to feed on. The National Statistics Institute (INE) put unemployment at 9.6% for June to August, El Ciudadano reported.
Fuel prices also rose this week, with kerosene jumping as a price freeze ended. El Ciudadano reported diesel up CLP 95 per litre (about US$0.10) and petrol up CLP 39.4 (about US$0.04).
Those conversions use the 2 October rate of CLP 982 per US dollar. Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz said applying the fuel price stabiliser (MEPCO) would have cost about US$2.2 billion.
Where the Government Still Holds Ground
The figures do not show a collapse. Kast approval has held at roughly three in ten for a month, and a one-point dip is ordinary weekly movement.
Cadem put approval among right-leaning voters at 72% in September, down seven points but still a firm base. Kast’s term runs until March 2030, so no presidential vote forces a quick reckoning.
Economy Minister Daniel Mas told reporters the current quarter “should be the last” of weak activity, El Ciudadano reported. Allies have questioned parts of the budget: Chile Budget Education Cuts Draw Fire From Kast Allies.
Criteria also found growing doubt over the Escudo de las Américas, a US-led regional security pact Chile has joined. Support fell six points to 31% and opposition rose from 42% to 47%, BioBioChile reported.
Rivals are pressing the point. Former presidential candidate Franco Parisi attacked his style this weekend: Parisi Says Chile’s Kast Governs as if Guilty.
What Is Not Yet Known
The reports reviewed did not give Criteria’s sample size or margin of error for this wave. The 20 September edition used 802 online interviews, La Tercera reported.
It is also unclear whether the government’s jobs push and 2027 budget will shift opinion. Cadem’s October readings will show whether other pollsters see the same rise in disapproval.
Sources: BioBioChile (4 Oct 2026); El Dínamo (4 Oct 2026); Teletrece (4 Oct 2026); La Tercera (13 Sep, 20 Sep and 27 Sep 2026); Cadem, Plaza Pública (27 Sep 2026); El Ciudadano (4 Oct 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief