Chile President José Antonio Kast faces comptroller investigation over inaccurate crime statistics

President José Antonio Kast of Chile has been formally reported to the Contraloría General de la República for allegedly presenting false crime data during a recent national address. The complaint, filed by lawyer Luis Mariano Rendón, claims the president cited 218,000 violent robberies in the past year, a figure that starkly contrasts with the 69,777 cases recorded by the Centro de Estudios y Análisis del Delito (CEAD) for 2025.

Rendón seeks to determine whether the use of unverified statistics violates the principles of probity and administrative truthfulness. The Comptroller will now review the documentation and decide whether to open a formal investigative process. The presidential office has not yet responded to the allegations.