Chile’s President-elect José Antonio Kast is signaling a potential shift in the country’s foreign policy with a tour of Europe focused on bolstering relationships with right-wing leaders. During a stop in Budapest on Monday, kast publicly endorsed Argentine President Javier Milei, further cementing a bond formed since Milei’s election in November and highlighting a growing alignment among conservative figures in the region. The meetings, which follow an address at the Transatlantic Summit in Brussels criticizing progressive ideologies, underscore Kast’s intent to forge international alliances ahead of his inauguration later this month.
BUDAPEST, Hungary — President-elect José Antonio Kast of Chile used a European tour stop in Hungary on Monday to voice support for Argentine President Javier Milei, signaling a growing alignment among right-wing leaders in the region.
Responding to a question from the press regarding Argentina, Kast offered a brief but enthusiastic endorsement: “¡Viva la libertad! ¡La libertad avanza!” (“Long live freedom! Freedom advances!”)
The gesture underscores a developing relationship between the two leaders, who first met in Buenos Aires in December, shortly after Milei’s election. During that meeting, they celebrated what they described as the “advance of freedom” and posed for photographs with a chainsaw – a symbolic representation of Milei’s plans for drastic economic reforms.
Kast’s expression of support comes as he travels through Europe, seeking to connect with like-minded political figures. He recently met with Santiago Abascal, a Spanish lawmaker and leader of the Vox party, in Madrid, sharing a photo of the encounter on social media.
Luego de escala en Madrid, rumbo a Bruselas junto a mi gran amigo @Santi_ABASCAL 🇪🇸🇨🇱 pic.twitter.com/NqJceREl2P
— José Antonio Kast Rist 🖐️🇨🇱 (@joseantoniokast) February 3, 2026
On Sunday, Kast addressed the VII Transatlantic Summit in Brussels, Belgium, where he criticized progressive causes, including environmentalism, animal rights activism, and feminism, labeling them “radical” and “ideological.”
“We are here because we believe in freedom, in dignity, and in respect for the human person, which remain the indispensable pillars of all democratic civilization,” Kast stated during his speech, echoing the sentiment he shared regarding President Milei.
He continued, “Today we live a disturbing paradox. The more we talk about rights, the more freedom is restricted. When insecurity dominates the streets, when crime replaces the state, when families and communities live in fear, democracy becomes empty of content because freedom becomes a mere illusion.”
Kast asserted that defending security is not authoritarianism, defending freedom is not extremism, and defending order is not regression. “It is simply defending the basic conditions for every society to live and develop fully. Our cause is not just another ideology,” he said.
Following his speech, Kast traveled to Hungary, where he is currently meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and President Tamás Sulyok. He is also scheduled to meet with representatives from the Fundamental Rights Center. The meetings signal a potential strengthening of ties between Chile’s incoming administration and Hungary’s conservative government, and highlight the growing international network of right-leaning political leaders.
