Chile issues rare protest after US ambassador criticises President Boric

Chile’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a rare diplomatic protest to Washington after the newly appointed U.S. ambassador criticised President Gabriel Boric for publicly rebuking U.S. President Donald Trump, as per Bloomberg.

During his first press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Ambassador Brandon Judd described Boric’s recent comments about Trump as “disappointing,” adding that they illustrated how far bilateral relations “have fallen.” Less than a day later, Foreign Affairs Minister Alberto van Klaveren announced that President Boric had instructed the ministry to formally respond.

“This morning, in accordance with directions from the president of the republic, the Foreign Affairs Ministry delivered a note of protest due to the tenor of those declarations,” van Klaveren said on Nov. 21, characterising the ambassador’s remarks as “inappropriate and unfortunate.”

The diplomatic dispute — an unusual development between two traditionally close trading partners — comes amid rising frictions between the Trump administration and several Latin American governments, particularly Venezuela and Colombia.

In recent weeks, Boric has sharply criticised Trump for denying climate change, as well as for his leadership style, his stance on Israel’s war in Gaza, and his imposition of new trade tariffs.

Boric, a left-leaning president, is set to leave office in March 2026. His successor will be chosen in next month’s runoff election between his former labour minister, Jeannette Jara, and conservative contender José Antonio Kast, who is widely seen as the frontrunner.

By Tamilla Hasanova