Dialogos

Chile's New Right-Wing President Appoints Former Pinochet Lawyers to Cabinet

Published January 21, 2026, 07:05
Chile's New Right-Wing President Appoints Former Pinochet Lawyers to Cabinet

Chile's new right-wing President, José Antonio Kast, has sparked controversy by appointing two former lawyers of dictator Augusto Pinochet to cabinet positions. Fernando Barros will take over the Ministry of Defense, and Fernando Rabat will head the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. These appointments have generated intense debate, given Pinochet's controversial past and allegations of human rights violations during his dictatorship. However, Kast is a known admirer of Pinochet and won the election on a platform focused on law and order.