Vote count starts in Chile runoff between polar opposites

By PATRICIA LUNA and JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Results have begun trickling for Chile’s presidential runoff following a bruising campaign between polar opposites. Sunday’s vote pitted a free-market firebrand likened to Donald Trump against a millennial former student protest leader who promises to attack nagging inequality in Latin America’s most advanced economy. Conservative José Antonio Kast finished ahead in the first round of voting last month but failed to secure a majority of votes, setting up a head-to-head runoff against Gabriel Boric, who trailed him by about two percentage points. Opinion polls gave the advantage to Boric, although sometimes within the margin or error. In recent days, both candidates tried to appeal to more centrist voters.