Chilean President Kast faces backlash over reduced sentences for sex offenders

Chilean President José Antonio Kast is facing a severe political crisis after his government issued 56 administrative decrees that reduced prison sentences for individuals convicted of sexually abusing and raping minors, UPI reported on October 26. The Justice Ministry processed the reductions between March and September 2026. [1]

The sentence reductions triggered widespread public outrage and drew criticism from across the political spectrum, according to UPI. Chile's Office of the Children's Ombudsman also issued a condemnation regarding the decrees. [1]

Kast currently serves as the 38th president of Chile after taking office in 2026. He previously served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2002 to 2018, where he represented districts in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. [3]

Following the public and political backlash, the Justice Ministry suspended the processing of any additional sentence reductions, UPI reported. [1]