(LifeSiteNews) — The Permanent Committee of the Episcopal Conference of Chile, in a letter to Catholic President-elect José Antonio Kast on Sunday, congratulated him on his decisive election victory but made no mention of his strong pro-life and pro-family stance, instead emphasizing immigration.

In the December 14 letter, the bishops noted Kast’s landslide victory and encouraged him to use his office to promote the “common good,” while highlighting their concerns about purported denigration of migrants and others. Kast, a devout Catholic father of nine, who has been the most well-known political opponent to the legalization of abortion and the redefinition of marriage in Chile, centered his presidential campaign on curbing illegal immigration and securing the country’s borders.

Kast defeated his communist opponent, Jeannette Jara, by a margin of 58 percent to 42 percent of the vote in the December 14 election.

READ: Pro-life Catholic father of 9 defeats communist in Chile’s presidential election

“Please accept our warmest congratulations on your electoral victory on December 14, which will lead you to assume the Presidency of the Republic next March,” the bishops wrote in the letter. “By entrusting you with this high responsibility, the country is entrusting you with the task of leading the nation in times that demand clarity, generosity, and a deep commitment to the common good.”

The bishops then urged President-elect Kast to promote an environment of “dialogue, encounter, and respect,” and, citing Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, called on him to protect the country’s migrant population.

“As pastors of the Catholic Church on pilgrimage in Chile, we reaffirm our vocation to contribute to the common good through the mission entrusted to us by the Gospel. We want to continue to be witnesses of hope, especially close to those who live in poverty, exclusion, or suffering,” the bishops wrote.

“We are concerned about the growing denigration of migrants and vulnerable people, and we reiterate our commitment to life, human dignity, and the protection of the weakest, recalling the words of Pope Leo XIV in his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te: ‘In the wounded face of the poor we find imprinted the suffering of the innocent,’” they added.

READ: Pope Leo exhortation shows Vatican opposition to Trump on immigration, environment

The bishop’s brief statement about migrants, which makes no distinction between those who entered the country legally or illegally, is noteworthy since Kast focused his campaign on securing Chile’s borders and promising mass deportations of illegal immigrants. During the campaign, Kast promised to build secure border walls, deport all illegal aliens, and even deploy the military to high-crime areas.

Indeed, the issues of security and migration were likely the main drivers of the country’s massive shift towards Kast’s conservative Republican Party in this week’s election.

“Chile needs order – order in the streets, in the state, in the priorities that have been lost,” Kast said during his victory speech.

While expressing their concerns with Kast about the supposed ill-treatment of migrants, the bishops made no explicit mention of his Catholic faith, his staunch support for the unborn without exception, or his stalwart defense of traditional marriage.

José Antonio Kast, Chile’s new president: “I am Catholic first, and then I am a politician.”https://t.co/GGXeOSCUVz pic.twitter.com/n21N6lWdHU

— Sign of the Cross (@CatholicSOTC) December 15, 2025

Kast has suffered physical abuse in the past from leftists for his stance on these key issues. In 2018, while serving as a congressman, he was assaulted by a violent mob as he was attempting to enter an auditorium as a guest speaker at the University Arturo Prat in the Chilean city of Iquique.

READ: LGBT activists attack Chilean congressman with rocks, bottles for defending real marriage

Sunday’s election marked Kast’s third run at the presidency and his second runoff. In 2021, he lost to the socialist and current president, Gabriel Boric.

Following his victory, many of his supporters flooded the streets, waving Chilean flags and some wearing hats reading “Make Chile Great Again.”

The election of Kast also marks the latest victory for the right in Latin America. Argentinian President Javier Milei posted a map on X that shows several countries now having conservative heads of state, including his own country, as well as Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay. El Salvador also has a very successful right-wing president in Nayib Bukele.

LA IZQUIERDA RETROCEDE
LA LIBERTAD AVANZA
VLLC! pic.twitter.com/TfXucNdCJY

— Javier Milei (@JMilei) December 14, 2025