CHILE · POLITICS
Chile’s President José Antonio Kast, a conservative who took office in March, is disapproved of by 68% of Chileans, according to the weekly poll published by Cadem, a Chilean polling firm, on Sunday, 8 November. Approval rose three points to 29%, and the poll asked people why they disapprove.
Key Facts
- Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 62.9 points (November 2026 edition).
- What happened Cadem, a Chilean polling firm, found 29% approve of President José Antonio Kast and 68% disapprove.
- Top reasons Among those who disapprove, 43% cite sentence cuts for sexual crimes and 42% cite weak growth and rising unemployment.
- The economy Unemployment is 9.8%, the statistics office says, and 32% of respondents most want it to fall.
- What to watch Cadem’s next weekly poll and the third-quarter growth figure due on 18 November.
A new Chilean poll shows approval of the conservative president edging up three points, while two in three Chileans still disapprove. Their reasons mix one political controversy with a weak economy.
IN PLAIN ENGLISH
- Cadem is a Chilean market research firm; its weekly Plaza Pública poll tracks presidential approval.
- Rabat is Fernando Rabat, Chile’s justice minister, whose ministry is at the centre of the sentence-reduction dispute.
- INE is Chile’s National Statistics Institute, which publishes the official unemployment rate.
- Imacec is the Central Bank of Chile’s monthly estimate of economic activity.
What Disapproving Chileans Say
Cadem asked people who disapprove of Kast to give their reasons, and the shares overlap. The top answer, at 43%, is the reduction of sentences for people convicted of sexual crimes.
The second, at 42%, is the fall in economic growth and the rise in unemployment. Next come the cost of living and fuel prices at 29%, cuts in state spending at 19%, and broken promises on security and immigration at 17%.
Two Problems at Once
The first reason is political. Fernando Rabat, the justice minister, remains in office, and 16% of respondents name his resignation as something they want to see within six months.
The second reason is economic, and the official figures support it. Chile’s unemployment rate was 9.8% in July to September, up 1.3 points from a year earlier, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The central bank’s monthly activity index (Imacec) rose only 0.2% in September from a year earlier, as mining output fell 12.1%. Outside mining, activity grew 2.0%.
What Chileans Want Next
Asked what should happen in the next six months, 32% want unemployment to fall from 9.8% to 8%. Another 28% want petrol prices back at their March level, and 24% want the economy to grow 3% a year.
Kast’s early-November trip to Europe also drew criticism. Of the 86% who had heard about it, 52% rated it badly and 40% well, the only one of his six foreign trips that Cadem says drew more negative than positive views.
A Small Rebound, Not a Recovery
Approval of 29% is up from 26% a week earlier, the lowest reading of his term in Cadem’s tracking, as our report on that poll showed. Disapproval fell only one point to 68%.
Our earlier coverage also followed Kast’s refusal to dismiss Rabat and his European tour. Cadem’s public summary gives no margin of error, so a three-point move should be read with caution.
What It Means for You
Chile is the world’s largest copper producer, and the weak Imacec reading shows how much the metal drives the economy. In our assessment, a president with low approval has less room to push mining, tax and security bills through Congress.
For US investors in Chilean companies, the poll itself changes no law or tax. It does show that jobs and growth, not only crime, are what Chileans blame their government for, so watch the Q3 growth data on 18 November and our Chile coverage.
What Is Not Known
Cadem’s public summary does not state the sample size or margin of error, so those details are not given here. It is also unknown whether Congress will vote on any accusation against Rabat over the cuts to prison terms.
Whether approval will keep rising depends on the economy, and no one can say when unemployment will turn. The next Cadem weekly poll is due on Sunday, 15 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Chileans disapprove of Kast?
The top reason, given by 43% of those who disapprove, is the reduction of sentences for people convicted of sexual crimes. The second, at 42%, is weak growth and rising unemployment.
What is Kast’s approval rating?
Cadem puts it at 29% in the first week of November, up three points, with 68% disapproving. The poll was published on Sunday, 8 November.
What is Chile’s unemployment rate?
It was 9.8% in July to September 2026, up 1.3 points from a year earlier, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). Cadem’s respondents most often want it to fall to 8%.
Is Chile’s economy growing?
Barely. The Imacec activity index rose 0.2% in September from a year earlier, and mining fell 12.1%.
Sources: Cadem, Plaza Pública study of 8 November 2026; National Statistics Institute of Chile (INE), unemployment, July to September 2026; Central Bank of Chile, Imacec September 2026 ; US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025, copper (read 9 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error