Kast Attends Trump Summit Amid Bilateral Crisis as U.S. Faces Accusations Over Deadly Attack on Iranian School

Original article: Kast viajó a cumbre de Trump en medio de crisis bilateral, mienntras EE.UU. es señalado por ataque a escuela en Irán con 175 víctimas

From the Breakdown of the Transition to Miami: Future President Joins Far-Right Summit Amid Diplomatic Tensions

Just days before assuming the presidency on March 11, José Antonio Kast traveled to Miami to participate in the ‘Shield of the Americas’ summit organized by former U.S. President Donald Trump. According to information about the event, presidents and representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Chile, and Trinidad and Tobago will attend. The presence of the elected Chilean president comes amidst escalating diplomatic tensions between Santiago and Washington, although no official details about the purpose of his visit have been disclosed.

Kast’s trip comes as the Trump administration faces serious international scrutiny over its alleged involvement in an attack in Iran. An investigation by The New York Times, cited by France 24, suggests there is evidence confirming U.S. forces as responsible for a precision strike that hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh primary school in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28. The bombing reportedly resulted in the deaths of 175 people, mostly girls, and caused significant destruction to the educational structure.

Journalist Nilo Tabrizy, part of the investigative team for The New York Times, described the verified images following the attack: «I saw things like a small girl’s hand amidst the rubble, blood-stained backpacks, and scattered homework.» According to his investigation, the school was located near a base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the southern province of Hormozgan. Tabrizy added that, based on circulating information, «the attacks in southern Iran are being carried out by the U.S.,» leading various reporters to focus their inquiries on Washington for answers about the incident.

Kast’s decision to travel to the United States coincides with the controversy arising in Chile over the abrupt termination of the transition process with current President Gabriel Boric. Reports indicate that this rift happened following a tense 25-minute meeting at La Moneda, originally sparked by a submarine cable project funded by Chinese investments. The future president may have asked Boric to retract his statements on the issue, while the current president maintained he had informed Kast about both the Chinese project and the situation with the United States.

The future government spokesperson, Mara Sedini, commented on this situation to the media, stating that «we have never cut off dialogue. Communication remains open with the current government and anyone who wants to contribute to our country.» However, she confirmed that «bilateral transitions have been deemed concluded,» though she clarified that they are willing to talk. The decision to prematurely end transition meetings—just days before the government handover—has been interpreted as a break from republican tradition during a politically charged time that necessitates coordination between both administrations.

Kast’s participation in the summit organized by Trump raises questions about the message the future Chilean government intends to convey to the international community, especially as the summit’s host faces international media allegations linking him to military actions with devastating humanitarian consequences, as well as accusations against Trump regarding child abuse and pedophile networks.

While Washington continues investigations into the attack on the Iranian school, the elected Chilean president embarks on his foreign relations in a gathering of far-right leaders from across the continent, amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that keep the international community on alert.