President José Antonio Kast announced the submission of approximately 30 projects of law to Parliament to combat organized crime and terrorism [1].
The move signals a pivot toward fulfilling a central campaign promise of zero tolerance for crime as the administration seeks to harden national security [3].
Speaking during a national television broadcast on Wednesday night, June 26, 2026, Kast said the new legislative package is known as the Agenda against Organized Crime and Terrorism (ACOT) [1]. The initiative aims to create a more robust legal framework to dismantle criminal networks and prevent terrorist activity within Chile [1].
This legislative push follows a period of internal debate regarding the administration's priorities. During the first 100 days in office, some reports suggested that the government had shifted its focus toward economic recovery, which displaced the fight against crime [3]. However, the recent announcement of the ACOT bills indicates a renewed emphasis on security [1].
Kast has also extended this security focus to the international stage. During a Mercosur summit in Buenos Aires, the president said the region needs a security architecture to address the transnational nature of organized crime [2].
The ACOT projects are now pending review by the Chilean Congress. The administration intends for these laws to provide the state with more aggressive tools to pursue high-level criminal organizations, and enhance public safety [1].
“President José Antonio Kast announced the submission of approximately 30 projects of law to Parliament”
The introduction of the ACOT agenda represents an effort by President Kast to reconcile his campaign's 'zero tolerance' rhetoric with the legislative reality of his first few months in office. By coupling domestic legislation with regional cooperation at the Mercosur summit, the administration is acknowledging that organized crime in Chile is increasingly linked to international networks, requiring both national legal reforms and cross-border security agreements.
