Vote seen as a blow to conservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, who won majority of votes in November’s first round.

A historic vote granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples in Chile has been heralded by activists as a triumph and a blow to the conservative agenda of presidential candidate José Antonio Kast.

Kast, who denies he is homophobic, has said that “society works best with heterosexual couples”; his presidential program offers subsidies to married heterosexual families with children, deliberately excluding same-sex couples.

The equal marriage bill will allow same-sex couples parental rights, which was not possible under the Civil Union act.