Kast’s Presidential Portrait Features Pinochet-Era Emblem: A Controversial Return

The elected president becomes the first leader since the return to democracy to reintroduce the symbol of the coat of arms in the presidential sash, echoing the practices of Pinochet.

The Citizen

26/02/2026 8:57am

Original article: Foto presidencial de Kast: Regresa el escudo utilizado por Pinochet

The elected president becomes the first leader since the return to democracy to incorporate the emblem into the presidential sash, reminiscent of Pinochet.

On Tuesday, February 24, the Office of the Elected President (OPE) unveiled the official portrait of José Kast, which will be displayed in all public institutions starting March 11. The image sparked immediate reactions by confirming the return of the National Coat of Arms to the center of the presidential sash, a detail not utilized since dictator Augusto Pinochet’s departure from power in 1990.

In a statement, Kast’s team justified the decision by claiming the use of the emblem aligns with a «broader republican tradition» and seeks to reaffirm the institutional character of the position. According to the OPE, the symbol does not belong to any political faction but represents the historical continuity of the State. However, this move breaks with the practices of all democratic presidents since the end of the dictatorship.

After the plebiscite, transitional leaders chose to remove the coat of arms to distance themselves from the military regime’s symbolism. In Kast’s image, the elected president is depicted as “moving forward,” according to the OPE, a gesture they describe as an act of leaving behind turmoil and uncertainty.

Additionally, the background of the image features a blue sky referencing the National Anthem, aiming to project a message of unity in Chile. Nevertheless, the symbolic weight of the presidential sash has refocused attention on Kast’s admiration for dictatorial figures.

Although the OPE mentions that other presidents, like Pedro Aguirre Cerda, also used the emblem, recent history directly links this element to periods of constitutional exception. Kast’s decision to revive the design of the sash originally presented by Pinochet in Congress in 1990 introduces a political tension just days before he assumes office.

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