CHILE’S far-right former lawmaker Jose Antonio Kast won the country’s presidential election on Sunday.

Mr Kast won 58.2 per cent of the votes with his left-wing coalition challenger Jeannette Jara, clinching 41.8 per cent of the vote.

In a lengthy victory speech, Mr Kast said: “Chile needs order — order in the streets, in the state, in the priorities that have been lost.” 

Mr Kast said his victory provided him with a “broad mandate” that was also “a tremendous responsibility.”

Speaking at a public square in Chile’s capital of Santiago, Ms Jara, a communist who served as labour minister in the centre-left government of president Gabriel Boric, encouraged her supporters not to be deterred by the outcome.

“It is in defeat that we learn the most,” Ms Jara said shortly after calling Mr Kast to concede the election.

Tricontinental executive director Vijay Prashad, who lives in Chile, said: “Chile has voted in a neofascist. There was no need for a military coup.”

But the Trump administration was also quick to praise Mr Kast.

“Under his leadership, we are confident Chile will advance shared priorities to include strengthening public security, ending illegal immigration and revitalising our commercial relationship,” United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Mr Kast has promised a crackdown on organised crime, which he blames on clandestine migration and an economic slump.

Mr Kast says he wants to build more maximum-security prisons in Chile and implement harsh measures in detention centres.

He also proposes expanding the powers of the army and police.

On migration, he has called for deportations of hundreds of thousands of immigrants who allegedly entered Chile illegally and the construction of a massive barrier on the country’s northern border.

On the economy, he vows to slash $6 billion (£4.4bn) in public spending over just 18 months by slashing jobs and services.