Chile’s President Kast tosses out dozens of environmental protections 

The new Chilean government has announced the suspension of 43 rules to safeguard the environment, as part of a pivot towards more conservative policies under newly inaugurated President Jose Antonio Kast.

The Ministry of Environment said on Tuesday that it had withdrawn the decrees, which were still under review by the Comptroller General’s Office.

Many were introduced in the final days of former President Gabriel Boric’s term in office. Kast was sworn in on March 11.

The suspension affects rules touching on issues such as power plant emissions, smelting plant pollution and the creation of new national parks.

“I understand there is concern,” Kast said. “But I would invite you to look at what the public needs: growth, environmental protection, but above all, jobs. And this is in line with that.”

He indicated that reducing the unemployment rate was part of his motivation for paring back the environmental policies.

“We want to create the best possible public policy regarding full employment, always respecting the environment,” he said.

The Environment Ministry has also downplayed the downstream effects of repealing the rules, issuing a statement that it is “standard practice” for new administrations to update policies.

“Our purpose is that each administrative act issued by the Ministry of the Environment meets the highest standards of legal quality, safeguards the wellbeing of people, and effectively protects the country’s natural heritage,” the ministry said.

The far-right Kast has promised that his tenure will mark a stark departure from the policies of Boric, his leftist predecessor.

In the 2025 Chilean election, Kast campaigned on a platform that championed deregulation as a means of boosting economic growth and foreign investment.

He also promised to rein in immigration and crime in the country, two top voter concerns, according to polls.

So far, Kast has taken steps to cut government spending by about $3bn during 2026, in addition to the $800m cuts outlined by Boric for the year.

His administration has also begun to beef up security along its northern border with Peru and Bolivia, an area commonly associated with irregular migration.

Kast visited a site on Monday where heavy machinery had been employed to dig new trenches as a barrier to keep undocumented immigrants out of the country.

His “border shield” plan mirrors the approach of other right-wing leaders, such as US President Donald Trump, who have made regional security a priority.

“We have taken clear and concrete decisions to close our border to illegal immigration, drug trafficking and organised crime,” said Kast. “We want to implement this without any delay.”