Chile’s Kast fires security minister in first cabinet shake-up

President Kast replaced Security Minister Trinidad Steinert and spokesperson Mara Sedini at a ceremony at La Moneda, just over two months into his term.emol
Former Public Works Minister Martín Arrau takes over the security portfolio as opposition lawmakers had been pursuing an interpellation motion against Steinert.wikipedia
A recent Cadem poll showed Kast’s approval at its lowest since taking office, with most Chileans saying the state is being overwhelmed by crime.youtube

Kast Sacks Security Minister in Chile’s First Cabinet Reshuffle

Chilean President José Antonio Kast carried out his first cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, removing Security Minister Trinidad Steinert and Government Spokesperson Mara Sedini just over two months into his administration, in a shake-up that underscores growing unease over his government’s handling of its core policy promise: fighting crime.latercera

A Swift and Telling Reorganization

The ceremony took place at 8 p.m. local time at the La Moneda presidential palace, with Kast personally presiding over the changes. Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado will now serve simultaneously as head of the General Secretariat of Government, concentrating both political coordination and communications in a single figure. Martín Arrau, a Republican Party member who had been serving as Public Works Minister since March, moves to the Security portfolio. Transportation Minister Louis de Grange will absorb the Public Works role.emol

The reshuffle comes less than two weeks before Kast’s first State of the Nation address, scheduled for June 1, an occasion the government wants to use to project a consolidated front. Kast took office on March 11 after winning a decisive second-round victory in the 2025 presidential election, marking what the Associated Press described as the most pronounced rightward shift in Chile since the return to democracy.pbs

Security Woes at the Heart of the Crisis

Steinert, a former regional prosecutor from Tarapacá, had faced mounting criticism from both the governing coalition and the opposition over what was perceived as an ineffective response to rising crime and organized criminal activity. An interpellation motion against her had been announced by opposition lawmakers, with some members of allied parties also signaling support for the effort.latercera

A CADEM poll released on May 17 showed Kast’s approval rating dropping to 36 percent — its lowest since he assumed power — with disapproval climbing to 58 percent. A separate early-May CADEM survey found that 67 percent of respondents believed the state was being overwhelmed by crime, with 78 percent identifying organized crime as the country’s principal problem.youtube

Questions Ahead of the State of the Nation

The speed of the reshuffle — roughly 69 days after inauguration — has drawn comparisons to some of the fastest ministerial changes in Chile’s post-dictatorship era. For Kast, who campaigned heavily on promises to crack down on crime and illegal immigration, the move represents both an acknowledgment of early stumbles and a bet that reshuffling personnel can steady a government before its first major test on June 1.science