THE GUARDIAN
DEC 2021

‘A bit of hope’: Chile legalizes same-sex marriage

Vote seen as a blow to conservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, who led in November’s first election round

A historic vote granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples in Chile has been heralded by activists as a triumph and a blow to the conservative agenda of presidential candidate José Antonio Kast.

Kast won a plurality of votes in November’s first-round vote – taking 28% of the vote and beating the progressive former student leader Gabriel Boric by two percentage points – an outcome that sent a wave of fear through the country’s LGBTQ+ community. A tight runoff between Kast and Boric is scheduled for 19 December.

While Boric advocates greater rights for minorities, Kast’s agenda is founded upon traditionalist politics formed by devout Catholic values.

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