Santiago, Chile — Chileans voted for a new president and parliament on Sunday in a contest expected to favor the hard right as candidates play on popular fears over organized crime and immigration.

It’s the first of what’s likely to be two rounds of presidential elections in the South American country , as polls show none of the candidates clearing the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff scheduled for Dec. 14.

On the surface, Sunday’s election offers Chileans a dramatic choice between two extremes: Jeannette Jara, 51, a card-carrying communist and former labor minister in the left-wing government, and, among other right-wing contenders, José Antonio Kast, 59, an ultraconservative lawyer and former lawmaker who opposes abortion and vows to shrink the state.

But with voters anxious

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