Chile’s new president, José Antonio Kast, has suspended 43 environmental protection decrees, according to the country’s environment ministry.
The measures—signed between 2023 and 2026 and introduced by Kast’s predecessor, Gabriel Boric—were still under review by the comptroller general’s office and had not yet entered into force.
The halted decrees include regulations aimed at limiting emissions from thermal power plants, the creation of several national parks, and protections for Darwin’s frog, an endangered amphibian species native to southern Chile and Argentina.
The ministry stated that the decision to withdraw the decrees is part of a standard process at the beginning of a new administration, intended to ensure that policies comply with current technical and regulatory standards.
Kast told reporters
We want to create the best possible public policy regarding full employment, always respecting the environment.
“I understand there is concern,” he added. “But I would invite you to look at what the public needs: growth, environmental protection, but above all, jobs. And this is in line with that.”
