Chile: Kast Refuses to Withdraw Security Reform, Cuts Ties With ‘King of the Trolls’
CHILE · POLITICS
Key Facts
—What happened: President José Antonio Kast refused to withdraw Chile’s security reform, calling its new state of exception “non-negotiable”.
—The small print: Kast said Congress “can make modifications” to the bill and admitted “we are only just beginning” the fight.
—The scandal: Kast denied working with Fernando Cerimedo, the Argentine “king of the trolls” now jailed in Bolivia, but admitted meeting him.
—The catch: The same president who defends the reform just saw its fast-track procedure collapse in Congress last week.
—The market read: Bloomberg reports that hopes of a Chilean recovery are lifting demand for riskier corporate bonds.
—What comes next: Opposition deputies have filed a criminal complaint over the Cerimedo links, keeping the story alive for weeks.
Chile’s President José Antonio Kast doubled down on his security reform this weekend, called its state of exception “non-negotiable”, and distanced himself from Fernando Cerimedo, the Argentine political operator known as the “king of the trolls”.
Kast digs in on the Chile security reform
Kast’s message this weekend was blunt. He will not withdraw the Chile security reform, and its centrepiece, a new state of exception, is “non-negotiable”, he said.
A state of exception is a constitutional tool that lets the government deploy the armed forces and restrict some rights in defined zones. Chile has used it before in the southern Araucanía region and against organised crime.
The president left one door open. Congress “can make modifications”, he said, and added that “we are only just beginning”, a nod to how long the legislative fight will run.
The defiance comes after a bruising week. Kast had to withdraw the bill’s fast-track urgency after a cross-party revolt, as we reported on 25 August.
So the headline position is hard, and the operating position is flexible. The Chile security reform survives, but only through a normal and slower path in Congress.
The Cerimedo question will not go away
At the same time, Kast moved to cut loose a toxic name. He denied that Fernando Cerimedo works with him or his government, while acknowledging that meetings with the Argentine consultant took place.
Cerimedo is the strategist Latin American media call the “king of the trolls” for running fake-account networks for right-wing campaigns. He is now jailed in Bolivia, charged with attempted femicide against his ex-partner.
The ex-partner, Nadia Beller, told El Mostrador that Cerimedo was “close” to Kast. The outlet documented four years of pro-Kast posts from the Argentine’s accounts.
Opposition deputies from the Socialist and PPD parties want the links clarified. Deputy Juan Santana has filed a criminal complaint asking prosecutors to investigate possible computer crimes.
Two fake accounts that attacked Kast’s rival Evelyn Matthei were deactivated right after Cerimedo’s arrest, Matthei told Radio Biobío. That timing is why the denials have not closed the matter.
Why bond investors are watching anyway
The political noise has not scared off credit markets. Bloomberg reports that the prospect of a Chilean recovery is lifting appetite for riskier corporate bonds.
The logic is simple. Investors expect growth to pick up under a business-friendly government, and they are buying lower-rated Chilean company debt to lock in higher yields early.
This morning we reported that Kast’s approval rebounded to 33.8% in the Pulso Ciudadano poll. Markets care less about the approval number than about the direction of policy.
For foreign investors, the signal is worth reading carefully. Money is pricing a recovery in Chile even as the Chile security reform grinds through Congress.
What to watch from here
The first test is committee. How Congress amends the state of exception in the Chile security reform will show whether “non-negotiable” was a position or an opening bid.
The second is the prosecutor’s office. If the Cerimedo complaint prospers, the government faces weeks of questions about who met whom and who paid for what.
The third is regional. Argentina’s Javier Milei visits Santiago on 3 and 4 September for the Madrid Forum, with the Cerimedo affair and the Magellan Strait dispute in the background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Kast say about the Chile security reform?
He refused to withdraw it and called its new state of exception “non-negotiable”. He added that Congress “can make modifications” and that “we are only just beginning”.
What is a state of exception in Chile?
It is a constitutional tool that lets the government deploy the armed forces and restrict some rights in defined zones. Chile has used it in the Araucanía region and against organised crime.
Who is Fernando Cerimedo?
He is an Argentine political consultant known as the “king of the trolls” for running fake-account networks for right-wing campaigns. He is jailed in Bolivia on an attempted femicide charge.
Does Cerimedo work for President Kast?
Kast denies that Cerimedo works with him or his government, though he acknowledged meetings took place. Opposition deputies have filed a criminal complaint to force clarification.
Why are investors buying riskier Chilean bonds?
Bloomberg reports that the prospect of a Chilean recovery is lifting appetite for riskier corporate bonds. Investors expect stronger growth under a business-friendly government and want higher yields early.
Connected Coverage
This morning we reported Kast’s approval rebound and the mining tax breaks. Last week we covered his retreat on the reform’s fast track and the ‘illiberal’ criticism of the bill. Cerimedo’s arrest is in Bolivia Jails Fernando Cerimedo.
Sources: President Kast’s weekend statements as reported by Chilean media; El Mostrador; Radio Biobío; Prensa Latina; Bloomberg.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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