Meet the actor with Down syndrome who wants to run for president of Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile — Sebastián Solorza is already a familiar face to many Chileans, having starred in a popular Netflix series and won national acting awards. Now, the 43-year-old actor with Down syndrome wants to enter the race for president in Chile’s national election this year.

Solorza is racing against the clock to gather 35,000 signatures by Aug. 18, a requirement for him to run as an independent candidate. He positions himself as a “point of balance” between the far right and the far left — a fierce ideological battle that dominates Chile’s political scene.

“I listen with my heart,” Solorza told The Associated Press, adding that his condition allows him to offer a softer communication style.

Should he enter the electoral race, his platform will focus on greater inclusion, improved healthcare and education, and enhanced security — a main concern of citizens who have been grappling with an unprecedented crisis of violence in recent years.

Chile will choose its new president on Nov. 16, with the campaign so far defined by the mutual attacks between the two main contestants: The far-right José Antonio Kast, who lost to current leftist president Gabriel Boric in 2021, and Jeannette Jara, the ruling coalition’s communist nominee.

With three months remaining until the election, polls show Kast and Jara vying for the top two spots. This scenario suggests they would face each other in a second-round runoff on Dec. 14.

Solorza argues that his candidacy offers a middle ground between political extremes, while working toward a “more inclusive country.”

“I’ve spent my entire life breaking down prejudices, as an actor, as a worker and as a citizen,” he said last month when announcing his plans to run as an independent candidate. “We all deserve the same opportunities.”

The actor hopes his candidacy will give greater visibility to people with Down syndrome and other disabilities. While it’s unlikely he will secure the necessary support to run for president — he has collected a little over 600 of the 35,000 signatures required — he sees his political foray as a success.

Solorza keeps a tight schedule, balancing an acting career with a day job at a construction company. In his limited free time, he spends time visiting Congress, talking with members of the Parliament and meeting with constituents to promote his campaign.

On the streets of Huechuraba, a quiet and green neighborhood in the northern part of Chile’s capital, Solorza is…