Chile elects millennial who wants to tax the rich as new president

Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who previously led anti-government student protests, won Chile’s presidential election on Sunday and is set to become the country’s youngest leader. 

With more than 90 percent of votes counted, Boric had won 56 percent while his opponent, José Antonio Kast, had won 44 percent, according to The Associated Press. 

“I am going to be the president of all Chileans,” Boric, 35, said in a brief televised statement, per the wire service.

Boric, who was elected to Congress in 2014, has vowed to use his presidency to “bury” the neoliberal economic model and increase taxes on the “super rich” in order to improve social services, fight inequality and enhance environmental protections, the AP reported.

After the results were announced, Kast, who has drawn comparisons to former President Trump and previously defended Chile’s military dictatorship, tweeted a photo of himself on the phone with Boric, saying he had “congratulated him on his great success.”

“From today he is the elected President of Chile and deserves all our respect and constructive collaboration. Chile is always first,” Kast added.

Acabo de hablar con @gabrielboric y lo he felicitado por su gran triunfo. Desde hoy es el Presidente electo de Chile y merece todo nuestro respeto y colaboración constructiva. Chile siempre está primero ✌️ pic.twitter.com/AvpBKs0GFT

— José Antonio Kast Rist (@joseantoniokast) December 19, 2021

The country’s outgoing President Sebastian Pinera also congratulated Boric via video call, the AP added.

Last month, Kast beat Boric by about two points in the first round of the presidential election, however no candidate won an outright majority of the vote, paving the way for this weekend’s runoff.