Voters in Chile on Sunday elected
Gabriel Boric as their next president.
At 35-years-old, Boric, a former
student activist, will become Chile's youngest president when he
takes office in March.
With 55.9% of the vote, Boric defeated
far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast in a second round of the
presidential election.
Boric will replace outgoing President
Sebastian Piñera, a
conservative billionaire.
“I am going to be the president of
all Chileans,” Boric is quoted as saying by Al
Jazeera.
"We have an enormous challenge,”
Boric
said. “I know that in the coming years, the future of our
country is at stake, so I guarantee that I will be a president who
cares for democracy and does not risk it, listens more than speaks,
seeks unity, and attends to the needs of the people daily."
Several outlets have reported that
Boric is an ally to Chile's LGBT community.
Earlier this month, Piñera
signed a same-sex marriage law, making Chile the 31st
nation to extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples. The
legislation takes effect in March.