Headlines: is Chile going to extremes?

Santiago's stock market jumped 9.25% when it opened on Monday following the surprise advance of far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast over his left-wing rival in the first round of the presidential election in Chile.

© Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP

Text by: Achim Lippold Follow

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The press obviously did not expect the victory of the far-right candidate, José Antonio Kast, in the first round of the Chilean presidential election. It's a surprising victory,

title

. The victory of an " 

 ", adds

. According to the newspaper, the leader of the Republican Party is confident of also winning the second round. " 

 ", declared this fervent supporter of the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro.

The newspaper

sees it differently.

Next December, writes the daily, Chilean voters will decide between two changes: one that will lead to more public security and the other that will introduce more social justice.

► 

According to

, the real surprise comes rather from another candidate, who will undoubtedly be very much courted for the second round.

This is Franco Parisi: he obtained nearly 13% of the vote and therefore comes in third position, ahead of the candidates of the parties that have governed the country for more than 30 years.

Its particularity: it has problems with the Chilean justice.

So he did a virtual campaign from the United States, where he lives. 

The end of a political cycle

However, for

, this election marks the end of a political cycle. “

  ”.

The first round of the presidential election is also highly commented on by the regional press.

" 

 " in a poll more divided than ever, headlines the Colombian newspaper

.

For the Brazilian daily 

, it is a “ 

” country which wakes up this morning after the first round.

Whoever wins, he will not have a majority in Congress.

Chile, an economic model in the region, risks becoming ungovernable, writes the Brazilian newspaper.    

In Venezuela, the winner is ... abstention

For

, the real winner in regional and municipal elections is abstention, which amounts to almost 60%.

Voters have turned their backs on the political class in general, according to the director of a polling institute.

"

" the daily continues.

The

news site

reports that Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel congratulated his Venezuelan counterpart on his victory even before the publication of the first results by the National Electoral Council.

also points out that Nicolas Maduro invited the three elected governors of the opposition to work with him.

► 

The Venezuelan newspaper

for its part reports many irregularities and attacks that accompanied the ballot, especially in states won by the opposition.

According to a mayoral candidate in the state of Lara, quoted by the daily, "

", armed militias close to the Chavist government attacked the house of an opposition activist.

Election observers from the NGO Transparencia Venezuela also said they had been attacked by “colectivos”.

Release of two hostages in Haiti

Two hostages among a group of 17 North American missionaries and their relatives kidnapped more than a month ago in Haiti have been released. It is on the front page of

which is based on the press release of the American Church to which the hostages belong. Christian Aid Ministries, an organization based in Ohio, "

" according to

. The news agency recalls that 16 Americans and a Canadian were kidnapped last October 16 by the 400 Mawozo gang. Among them are also children "

".

Joined by the

, the religious organization declined to comment on the release of the two hostages.

According to Gédéon Jean, director of the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Haiti, this is the first time that the armed gang has held a group of hostages for so long.

"

", adds Gédéon Jean in the

. 

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