Why Chile wanted 9.2-inch pre-dreadnoughts

Why did Chile want two pre-dreadnought battleships armed with 9.2-inch guns?

To sustain regional naval power and diplomatic leverage in the South American naval competition.

Chile sought visible naval strength in a South American environment where neighboring fleets and great-power influence mattered. That regional credibility also exposed the United States' difficulty enforcing broad diplomatic claims before its own naval expansion.