Leer en Español
José Antonio Kast has been appointed president of Political Network for Values, the Chilean politician replaces Katalin Novák, former Hungary’s Minister for Family Affairs and current president of that country. From Budapest, we took the opportunity to hear him tell us about the challenges of his new position and give us his vision of the state of conservative ideas in the world.
When asked about his new position in Political Network for Values, he emphasized that it is an international network that brings together legislators from different nations, whose objective is “to share experiences and information as legislators and political leaders from different nations in which we have been somehow cornered by the far left, which acts as a result of the permanent organization of radical groups in organizations such as the São Paulo Forum and the Puebla Group, but also because they have been taking spaces in places like the UN or the European Economic Community.”
Given the situation at an international level, the idea of Political Network for Values is to share experiences to counteract the extreme ideological wave, says Kast. He explained that the work axes revolve around three fundamental topics: defense for life, family, and freedom, which includes freedom of speech, religion and education.
The Chilean, who in the last elections almost won the presidency of his country, also points out that they are concerned about the fact that the left has taken for them issues that are actually proper of the conservatives, such as the protection of the environment. In addition, he assures that conservatives have forgotten to fight in different spaces already fully taken by the left.
“The left has been very skillful in taking spaces of popular representation, in the media and international organizations. We mainly worry about our family, work and homeland, and we leave those spaces free. We have to regain spaces in the media and in academia.”
He was also asked about several current issues, among them what is currently happening in the United States, where due to the advance of gender theory, children, even minors, can undergo surgeries and irreversible hormone treatments.
“If an operation is performed to change the gender of a child who does not yet have the capacity to decide as a person, his or her rights are being violated and it is possible that these children will sue not only those who did these damages to them but also the states that facilitated these laws,” explained the Chilean on the subject.
Kast is a political phenomenon worth studying. Contrary to all predictions, in the last presidential elections in Chile, he went from being a “far right” without possibilities, to dispute the second electoral round with the candidate of the left, snatching the position from the official candidate. He has even suffered physical attacks and has been accused of every negative aspect that has occurred to the left and has remained on a path that almost made him president. We asked him to give some advice to the conservatives of the world, who daily have to face the hard blows of the left. This is what he told us:
“The first thing is to have the inner conviction that one has to do something. Find out what your ability is and then put it at disposal to communicate ideas. We must be clear that fear cannot dominate our actions and for that we must trust that nothing happens without God’s will. We must be consistent and constant over time.”
Vanessa Vallejo. Co-editor-in-chief of El American. Economist. Podcaster. Political and economic analysis of America. Colombian exile in the United States // Vanessa Vallejo. Co-editora en jefe de El American. Economista. Podcaster. Análisis político y económico de América. Colombiana exiliada en EE. UU.