Original article: A punta de ensayo y error: Gobierno de Kast registra 45 seremis entre salidas, cambios y nombramientos fallidos en siete meses

Amid High Turnover, Kast Government Sees 45 Appointments and Departures in Seven Months

The government of José Antonio Kast confronts a situation characterized by high turnover of officials. In the past seven months, 45 regional secretaries (seremis) have vacated their positions due to exits, changes, and failed appointments, leading to concerns regarding the cabinet’s stability and management capabilities in the regions.

Following the resignation of the finance secretary of Biobío, Ronald Ruf Wilkomirski, and the economy secretary of Aysén, Rodrigo Aguilera Silva, the far-right administration has now seen a total of 55 officials leave their posts since last March.

The Regional Presidential Delegation of Biobío has confirmed that Ruf will cease to serve in his capacity starting October 30 due to personal reasons.

Thus, the cabinet of the presidential delegate of Biobío, Julio Anativia, records its third departure in seven months.

Meanwhile, in a brief statement, the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism reported that Rodrigo Aguilera Silva had submitted his resignation as economy secretary of Aysén «for strictly personal reasons» and that his departure will take effect «from November 1, 2026».

55 Officials Departed from the Kast Government

According to the website Renuncia Kast, within just seven months, 45 seremis, three ministers, six deputy ministers, and one presidential delegate have left their roles in the far-right administration.

This platform includes «resignations, removals, position changes, and unfulfilled appointments«, with each case linked to a news source, allowing users to «construct their own counts» filtered by position, region, or ministry.

The resulting average is one departure every 4.1 days, a figure that illustrates the constant turnover of officials in the executive branch. The tally also tracks the duration without a new exit until the update closes.

Departures, Changes, and Failed Appointments in Seven Months

Since assuming office in March, the Kast administration has struggled to consolidate its regional team, facing controversies that have led to appointments lasting mere days or even hours within the Regional Secretaries.

One such case is the failed appointment of Jorge Salazar as **public works secretary of Los Ríos,** who, after being officially announced by presidential delegate Vicky Carrasco, saw his appointment thwarted amid criticisms surrounding alleged irregularities during his presidency of Deportes Valdivia. In light of the controversy, the delegation stated that his appointment decree had not yet been finalized.

In the Biobío region, the appointment of Alexander Nanjarí** as education secretary was never realized, as his selection was retracted after social media posts emerged in which he expressed preferences for younger partners.

Through an account that no longer exists, Nanjari responded to a user questioning if a «10-year age difference is a problem?» with «10 years is nothing» and «much better if they are younger HAHAHHA».

A similar scenario unfolded in Los Ríos, where the Kast government revoked the appointment of Jorge Salazar as public works secretary in under 24 hours. This decision came following scrutiny over irregularities during his tenure leading Deportes Valdivia from 2019 to 2022.

In the Los Lagos region, the Presidential Delegation also annulled, within less than a day, the appointment of Jorge Ravelo Fuentes as energy secretary; it was argued that he did not meet the required technical qualifications, specifically he lacked higher education of at least ten semesters, a mandatory condition for such roles.

Additionally, there was the case of Patricia Dinamarca, who was announced as the education secretary of Los Lagos Region on March 25; however, six days later, La Moneda announced that her appointment had been revoked.

«Her designation, despite being announced, was not finalized because Dinamarca did not hold the finalized appointment decree,» officials from the Presidential Delegation of Los Lagos stated.

Also to be noted is the case of actor Renato Munster, who, after being announced as secretary of culture, arts, and heritage in the Metropolitan Region, spent just one day in office, citing «personal and urgent reasons» for his departure.

Among other unsuccessful appointments are Hernán Silva Llagostera, a retired colonel and public safety secretary of Valparaíso region, whose appointment was withdrawn from official platforms; while Karina Trujillo Contreras submitted her voluntary resignation as secretary of justice and human rights in Antofagasta, similar to Anggel Colque González, who stepped down as secretary of women and gender equity in the same region. Additionally, Mauricio Montealegre Gandolfo retracted before taking office as public works secretary of Tarapacá.

In Tarapacá, there was also controversy surrounding the departure of Cristian Andrés Cabezas Mundaca as secretary of labor and social security, due to administrative investigations related to two allegations of harassment and workplace mistreatment.

Similarly, the government requested the resignation of Fabián Barrientos Andrade as secretary of health of Magallanes, who was subsequently charged with the crime of rape.

With appointments failing to meet legal requirements, including seremis designated without the necessary education and professional experience, alongside controversial social media backgrounds and legal complaints, José Antonio Kast faces serious scrutiny regarding his ability to manage and assemble his teams.

In fact, each appointment follows a pattern: initially, the regional presidential delegate proposes, the relevant minister designates, and the President ultimately approves.

Featured image: Mediabanco.