Chile’s shift to the far-right has begun with a declaration of war on feminist progress. In a move that has electrified his conservative base and horrified human rights groups, President-elect José Antonio Kast has appointed Judith Marín—a woman who once screamed "Return to the Lord" while being dragged out of the Senate—as his new Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

The appointment is a masterstroke of provocation. Marín is not just a conservative; she is a theocratic firebrand. An evangelical leader and member of the "Eagles of Jesus" student group, she has built her career on the assertion that life begins at conception and ends at natural death, with no exceptions. By placing her in charge of gender equality, Kast is signalling that his "emergency government" intends to dismantle the liberal social reforms of the last decade.

The Fox in the Henhouse

"This is not a cabinet of administration; it is a cabinet of combat," Kast declared during the unveiling ceremony in an affluent Santiago neighborhood. Marín’s track record confirms this. She has publicly questioned the very existence of the ministry she will now lead, arguing that the "natural family"—a patriarchal unit led by a man—is the only legitimate building block of society.

Her rhetoric is apocalyptic. "Our country is going through a spiritual crisis," she said in October. "We, the children of God, need to stand up." Now, she has the power to turn that theology into policy.

• The Policy Impact: Activists fear immediate attacks on Chile’s reproductive rights laws, which currently allow abortion under limited circumstances (rape, fetal inviability, risk to mother). Marín has vowed to roll these back. Funding for gender violence programs and LGBTQ+ protections is also likely on the chopping block.
• The "Pinochet Shadow": The cabinet appointment comes alongside other controversial picks, including lawyers who defended the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Kast, a father of nine and a devout Catholic, is effectively resurrecting the moral architecture of the military regime under the guise of "restoring order."

A Nation Divided

Kast won the election on a platform of anti-crime and anti-migration, carefully avoiding the "culture war" topics during the campaign. Now, the mask has slipped. By appointing Marín, he has thrown red meat to the religious right and drawn a line in the sand for the opposition. The streets of Santiago, quiet since the election, may soon fill again. This is not just a change of government; it is a counter-revolution.