Chile launches first municipal smart city index and social protection barometer

Chile unveiled two pioneering measurement tools in 2026. The first Municipal Smart City Index evaluated 45 of the 52 communes in the Santiago metropolitan region, scoring an average of 39.8 out of 100. Vitacura topped the ranking with 75.5 points, while the strongest regional performance was in digital infrastructure and cybersecurity and the weakest areas were environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence and strategic digital vision. Governor Claudio Orrego highlighted the index as a diagnostic to guide concrete improvements across municipalities.

Separately, the Cajas de Chile compensation fund introduced the country's inaugural Social Protection Barometer. Developed by the research alliance Descifra‑Artool, the barometer combines social‑media sentiment and public opinion surveys, assigning a score of 31.6 out of 100 and indicating widespread perception of insufficient social protection. Minister of Social Development María Jesús Wulf and other officials presented the findings, emphasizing the need for evidence‑based policy adjustments as Chile faces demographic changes and rising citizen expectations.