Avoiding ‘Human Touch’ Spaces: Why Kast Declined Don Francisco and What It Reveals About His Campaign

Original article: Evitar espacios de «corte humano»: Por qué Kast dijo no a Don Francisco (y qué revela de su campaña)

Channel 13 announced the cancellation of the show «Las Caras de la Moneda,» hosted by Don Francisco, after «one of the two candidates» withdrew; Kast later confirmed that it was him.

According to discussions on television, his team assessed that participating in a human-interest program would not provide him with comparative advantages over his opponent, suggesting it was better to focus on events that emphasize programmatic issues where he could steer clear of personal topics.

In line with this, it was noted that his last appearance on the set caused discomfort for those around him, a sign that solidified the decision to avoid a platform designed to enhance empathy and personal storytelling.

Furthermore, another analysis indicates that Kast aims to prioritize «cold» venues in his campaign—focusing on radio and television debates centered on proposals, along with tightly focused social forums on public policies—and to minimize formats that demand life stories, vulnerability, or engagement beyond the governmental plan. The political translation here is clear: if the battle for closeness offers no returns, it is replaced by the narrative of an effective manager, with data and figures at the center.

His refusal to participate with Don Francisco thus adds to a pattern of selective environments that had already drawn criticism for media absences in previous weeks.

The message coming from the campaign team is consistent with their own diagnosis: minimize risks in emotional territory, prevent third parties from defining the framing, and reinforce a positioning of efficiency and control, even if that strains public expectations of seeing the human side of someone who aspires to manage adjustments affecting health, pensions, migration, and territories.

Nevertheless, lingering questions remain. If the strength they wish to project is the «executive profile,» isn’t it precisely through a human format that one tests the connection with those who will bear the brunt of these changes? Can trust be demanded to manage cuts while avoiding spaces that gauge empathy and personal coherence?

And if the promise is to apply swift expulsions without touching social benefits, isn’t it also necessary to show the faces behind those decisions and their effects on people’s lives?