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Original article: La «mentira demencial» de Kast que se volvió viral: dijo 1.200.000 asesinados al año y los datos oficiales registran 1.207

Kast’s Outrageous Claim of 1.2 Million Annual Murders Goes Viral: Official Data Shows Just 1,207

During the presidential debate broadcasted by Anatel, Republican Party candidate José Antonio Kast claimed on Tuesday that in Chile, «1.2 million people are murdered each year,» despite official statistics reporting just 1,207 homicide victims for all of 2024. This statement quickly went viral, provoking a wave of criticism and mockery on platforms like X, where users condemned the “outrageous lie” of the far-right candidate.

The issue of public safety dominated part of the first block of the debate, the last before the second round on December 14. In his comments, Kast argued that «when 1.2 million people are murdered each year, when there are 40,000 compatriots waiting for healthcare, when over 1 million are unemployed, there is no merit.»

Kast’s figure immediately drew attention, given that the total population of Chile is around 20 million inhabitants. However, the contrast with official data is stark. According to records from the Center for the Prevention of Homicides and Violent Crimes at the Undersecretary of Crime Prevention (SPD), there were 1,207 homicide victims for all of 2024, while the first half of this year saw 511 victims.

These numbers are astronomically distant from the figure provided by Kast, which suggests a multiplication of nearly one thousand times the reality.

Attempt to Rectify and Another Inaccuracy

Later in the debate, after being challenged by Unidad por Chile candidate Jeannette Jara regarding the exaggeration of his number, Kast attempted to amend his statement. However, his new claim also strayed far from the truth and was inaccurate.

«I did not say that. But beyond that, what I can say… 1.2 million people murdered per year, Jeannette, and you know that figure. It’s 4,500 people murdered, so far, under this government,» the Republican candidate asserted.

This second figure, referring to the total homicides during President Boric’s administration, is also incorrect. According to the official SPD report, 1,330 people were murdered in 2022, the number decreased to 1,249 in 2023, dropped again to 1,207 in 2024, and during the first half of 2025, the figure reaches 511. Thus, according to official statistics, a total of 4,297 people were murdered during the current government, which is 203 fewer than the 4,500 claimed by Kast.

In fact, at a press conference following the debate, the Republican was compelled to admit that these were not the correct numbers and that it was a misunderstanding.

The «Outrageous Lie» of Kast

The serious distortion of the homicide figure, a sensitive topic with significant public impact, dominated social media conversations following the debate, with users and political analysts labeling Kast’s error as «disproportionate» and dubbing him the «king of lies.»

Lawyer Rodrigo Rettig stated that this «outrageous lie» meant that for the last complete year (2024), «the figure is 1,207 people, approximately 50% of whom had criminal records.»

«A stunning example of fake news,» he emphasized.

Deputy Daniel Manouchehri (PS) labeled José Antonio Kast as a «professional smoke seller» and a «charlatan.»

«It’s incredible that someone who wants to be president lies so brazenly,» he indicated.

Deputy Diego Ibáñez highlighted that there are not 1.2 million murders in Chile each year, noting that in 2024, there were 1,207 reported, and that this figure has stagnated and is declining after ten years.

Media outlets like La Tercera also moved to debunk the Republican candidate’s claims, stating that the figure of 1.2 million people murdered each year in Chile is completely false.

@Eneatipo7 pointed out that in the Anatel 2025 debate, the Republican candidate demonstrated that «he can’t handle the numbers.»

“According to him, one-seventh of the world population dies in Chile each year. To err by a thousand times and then by a million times is not just a simple mistake; it’s functional illiteracy,» he stated.

The internet user @RobertoMerken went further, mentioning other false figures referred to by the far-right candidate during the presidential debate.

«In less than 60 minutes, José Antonio Kast accumulated more corrections than serious proposals,» he asserted, indicating that among the false data presented by Kast were: 1.2 million murdered people, 1 million unemployed, that La Laguna Prison has 3,000 spots and only 200 inmates, and that under the current government, there have been 125,000 irregular admissions.

«When a campaign is based on invented figures, the only real aspect is the danger,» he warned.

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