Chile's Kast seeks tougher organized crime laws

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast said in a televised national address on Wednesday that he would push Congress to approve reforms aimed at fighting organized crime.

Kast said there were more than 30 bills, including some already in Congress, that would change how Chile confronts organized crime. He said more legislation would be submitted in the coming days.

He also said he would seek a constitutional reform to formalize Chile's duty to safeguard people's security. Kast said the change would provide a broader framework for action and more effective tools against crime.

Under the approach he described, belonging to a criminal organization would itself become a crime with harsher penalties. Kast also vowed tougher penalties for criminal organizations that recruit minors.

The announcement follows one of Kast's main campaign promises. He pledged a major crackdown on crime and immigration when he took office in March.

Chile remains one of the safest countries in Latin America, but murders and kidnappings have risen in recent years. The homicide rate reached 5.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, double the rate a decade earlier.

Amid criticism over the pace of results, Kast requested the resignation of his first security minister, former prosecutor Trinidad Steinert, after 69 days in office.