Chile’s new president, José Antonio Kast, has joined a growing list of right-leaning Latin American leaders. Not only is he conservative — he’s openly religious as well.
Kast — who took office March 11 — is a practicing Catholic and part of the Schoenstatt movement, an international community devoted to the Virgin Mary. As a staunchly conservative former lawmaker, the 60-year-old father of nine opposed the sale of the emergency contraceptive pills in 2009. He has also spoken out against same-sex marriage and abortion, positions he emphasized during his 2021 presidential bid.
“We are inviting you on a journey to recover values for a proper and healthy life,” Kast said on election night last December. “It requires everyone’s commitment.”
