Kast’s Promises of Tough Measures Contradicted by 36.8% Rise in Organized Crime Homicides

Original article: Kast prometió mano dura, pero homicidios del crimen organizado suben 36,8% frente al mismo periodo de Boric

Despite José Antonio Kast‘s campaign promise of implementing a «tough on crime» approach to halt criminal activity, he now faces a situation that seemingly contradicts his assertions: the homicide rates linked to organized crime have risen by 36.8% compared to the same period of Gabriel Boric’s presidency.

According to figures provided by the Organized Crime and Homicides Teams (ECOH) of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to EL PAÍS, between March 11—the day Kast assumed the presidency of Chile—and April 6, there have been 26 homicides and attempts at homicide. Of this total, 15 were completed and 11 were thwarted. In the same period last year, under Boric’s administration, the count reached 19 cases—16 completed and three thwarted—indicating a 36.8% increase.

The ECOH defends including thwarted homicides in its statistics based on a specific legal rationale, where the intent of the perpetrator is to kill the victim, regardless of whether the lethal outcome does not materialize due to external circumstances or affects third parties.

This approach aims to reflect the true criminal intent and the danger posed by the organizations behind these violent incidents, beyond the final outcome.

Police Report Increases in Homicides

Unlike the ECOH, which specializes solely in organized crime offenses, the Chilean Carabineros maintain a record of all homicides committed in the country, without distinguishing their association with criminal structures. Their statistics are updated weekly, and the latest report—covering the week from March 23 to 29—recorded a total of 17 homicides, both completed and attempted (without specifying the quantity of each type). This figure represents a 13.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

The police force also reports on the last 28 days, which ran from March 2 to 29. During that time, there were 74 homicides, indicating an increase of 42.3% compared to the same period last year, according to the latest data released by Carabineros in the Tactical Police Operation System (STOP).

It is important to note that the first 10 days of this period fell under Boric’s government, while the remaining 18 days have already occurred under Kast’s management.

«The Country Has Lost Control of Security Again»

The surge in violence has not gone unnoticed by political figures. Independent-MP Jaime Araya (PPD), one of the most vocal critics, stated, “In the STOP data from Carabineros, which is the official count, homicides surged by 42.3%, and when we compare the last 28 days, which is well into this government, we see a significant spike.”

“This is a State issue,” he declared in remarks to Mega.

Araya also criticized that this increase coincided precisely with Kast’s inauguration, recalling that during his electoral campaign, the far-right candidate promised his administration would create “order, security, and trust.”

“We expected much more from a government that presented itself as security experts,” he concluded.

Letter to Minister Steinert: Calls for Explanations and Concrete Measures

In response to the rise in homicides, MP Araya sent a letter to Security Minister Trinidad Steinert, who has had a turbulent start in her role. In the document, the representative from the Antofagasta Region requested that the secretary of state attend a joint session between the Security Committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to report on “what measures will follow, which will be reinforced, and why the country has lost control over security.”

Nearly four weeks into his presidency, Kast has yet to present a comprehensive strategy to tackle the escalation of the most violent crimes, despite his campaign promise of a tough stance being a central theme of his campaign. Meanwhile, homicide rates continue to rise.