"Jose Antonio Kast, a 60-year-old ultra Catholic whose father was a member of the Nazi party, has consistently blocked progressive bids for women's rights and equality across his three-decade career in politics. As a congressman, Kast voted against divorce when Chile became one of the last countries of the world to legalise it in 2004 and vehemently opposed the legalisation of abortion under limited exceptions when it was passed in 2017."
"An unapologetic supporter of Pinochet, Kast upholds much of the regime's antiquated values on society and patriarchal family order. Chile allowed abortion for medical reasons from the 1930s until Gen Augusto Pinochet issued a total ban in 1989 as one of his final decrees."
"Such regressive views stand in contrast to feminist and gay rights movements across Latin America since the 2010s, including the green wave that successfully pushed for free abortion rights in Argentina, Colombia and some Mexican states."
Jose Antonio Kast, Chile's most conservative president since the Pinochet dictatorship, takes office amid concerns from women's rights activists. Throughout his three-decade political career, Kast has consistently opposed progressive women's rights measures, voting against divorce legalization in 2004 and abortion exceptions in 2017. He seeks to reinstate a total abortion ban and require parental consent for emergency contraception. His appointment of evangelical anti-abortion activist Judith Marin as women and gender equality minister signals his hardline commitment. This represents a stark contrast to Latin America's broader feminist movements, which have successfully expanded abortion rights in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexican states since the 2010s.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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