Chile’s Kast proposes ‘vandals’ register to strip offenders of social benefits
President unveils tough security plan linking criminal offences to loss of pensions and free education.
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast announced plans to introduce a “vandals’ register” that would remove social benefits such as pensions and free higher education from individuals convicted of certain offences. Speaking during his State of the Nation Address in Santiago, Kast said the registry would target crimes including attacks on police and healthcare workers, damage to public property, obstruction of transport, and drug trafficking.
The proposal forms part of a broader security strategy that includes intensified state intervention in 50 high-risk neighbourhoods, combining preventive patrols with operations against criminal organisations and illicit markets. Kast framed the initiative as a way to reinforce accountability, arguing that those who engage in destructive acts should not receive state benefits.
The announcement signals a continuation of the government’s hardline stance on crime, with the president emphasising that organised crime “has no place in Chile” and pledging to demonstrate the full strength of the state.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
