Kast Signs National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy 2026; Declares Salmon Workers' Day

On May 27, President José Antonio Kast signed decrees launching Chile's National Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation Strategy (CTCI) 2026, positioning the country as a regional hub for applied research aligned with economic priorities in mining technology, lithium processing, agribusiness, and sustainable aquaculture. The CTCI launch followed controversy in early May when Kast was reported as dismissing basic scientific research in favor of immediate economic application — comments from which he subsequently walked back in meetings with the scientific community. On the same date, Kast signed a separate decree establishing the Día del Trabajador del Salmón (Salmon Workers' Day), a formal recognition of the hundreds of thousands of workers in Chile's second-largest agro-export sector. The Patagonian salmon farming industry generates approximately $5.5 billion USD in annual exports and is Chile's largest employer in the Los Lagos and Aysén regions.