Presidential candidates launch campaign in Chile

The seven Chilean presidential candidates who will compete in the November 21 elections launched their campaign on open television on Friday.

From Friday to November 18, each candidate will have access to a free tv segment of 2 minutes and 51 seconds to present their programs.

A similar slot will address the parliamentary election in pre-recorded interventions.

Recent local polls suggest that, so far, voters favour former student leader Gabriel Boric, who represents a pact between the leftist Frente Amplio and the Communist Party.

Boric is followed by the centre-right lawyer José Antonio Kast, who is supported by two conservative parties and who has the support of groups of the ruling alliance.

Whoever obtains the most votes on November 21 will be president between 2022 and 2026.

If there is no winner, there will be a second round on December 19.