Public trust in Chile’s justice system has deteriorated sharply, with 75% of citizens evaluating the Poder Judicial negatively in a recent Cadem poll. The survey reveals widespread skepticism regarding judicial independence, institutional confidence, and fair treatment under the law across the country.
Plunging Approval and Widespread Mistrust in the Courts
Public dissatisfaction with Chile’s judicial branch has reached new lows, according to the Plaza Pública Cadem survey corresponding to the fourth week of August. The proportion of citizens giving the Poder Judicial a negative rating—assigning it scores between 1 and 4 on a 1-to-7 scale—climbed to 75%.
That figure marks a nine-percentage-point increase compared to the same measurement recorded in August 2024, when negative evaluations sat at 66%. Meanwhile, only 16% of respondents assigned a neutral score of 5, and a mere 7% rated the institution positively with scores of 6 or 7, as reported by Latercera.
The erosion of faith extends across nearly every operational attribute measured by the poll. An overwhelming 83% of respondents stated that the judicial system does not generate confidence, while 82% believe the institution fails to ensure equality before the law.
Skepticism also grips specific judicial bodies. The Corte Suprema secured positive evaluations from just 23% of those surveyed, dropping 14 points from the 2024 results, while Cortes de Apelaciones garnered a 22% positive rating after falling 18 points, according to data detailed by Panoramanoticioso.
Perceptions of Influence and Institutional Accountability
Beyond general dissatisfaction, citizens registered profound doubts regarding the autonomy and impartiality of the courts. A striking 81% of participants asserted that the judicial system is not impartial and allows itself to be influenced por los más poderosos
. That perspective represents a dramatic shift from August 2024, when 33% considered the Poder Judicial to be impartial and not influenced by the most powerful.
Additionally, 79% of surveyed individuals questioned the clarity and transparency of court procedures, 77% deemed the system inefficient, and 61% rejected the notion that the judiciary operates entirely autonomously. When asked to identify who bears primary responsibility for the system’s shortcomings, 67% of respondents pointed directly to the judges themselves—an 18-point jump from 2024 levels, as noted by biobiochile.cl.
Laws and the Fiscalía were cited as the primary problem by 39% of respondents, while the government and the Ministry of Justice accounted for 31%.
Setbacks for Plan Cancerbero and Penitentiary Controversies
The Cadem survey also measured public reaction to the government’s prison security strategy known as Plan Cancerbero.
Public confidence in the prison overhaul dropped sharply within a two-week window. The share of citizens viewing the plan as a real change in prison policy with tangible security effects fell from 62% to 45%. In contrast, those dismissing the initiative as espectáculo comunicacional
without real security impact grew from 35% to 51%, according to adnradio.cl.
This loss of public backing coincides with a high-profile legal dispute. Sixty-five percent of respondents followed the controversy sparked when an Iquique magistrate reversed a Gendarmería director’s order to transfer four members of the Clan Chen out of the maximum-security prison in Talca to Alto Hospicio. Sixty-seven percent of those polled disagreed with the judicial reversal.
Approval Ratings and Governance Reform Debates
Amid these institutional tensions, President José Antonio Kast saw a slight uptick in his approval ratings during the final week of August. The president’s approval climbed one point to 38%, while his disapproval held steady at 59%, allowing him to close the month with a monthly average of 39%, two points higher than July, as highlighted by emol.com.
Public debate also centered on proposed emergency powers. When polled about the government’s proposed state of exception, 50% of citizens expressed support if the measure requires congressional authorization and 30-day renewals. Only 33% backed an alternative formula granting the president exclusive decree powers for 120 days, extendable to 240 days.
