Evelyn Matthei

Evelyn Matthei
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Name	Evelyn Matthei
Birth date	11 November 1953
Birth place	Santiago, Chile
Nationality	Chilean
Occupation	Politician, Economist
Party	Independent Democratic Union
Alma mater	University of Chile

Evelyn Matthei is a Chilean politician and economist who has served in legislative and executive capacities, including as a senator and as mayor. She came to national prominence through roles in presidential cabinets, a high-profile 2013 presidential campaign, and as mayor of a major Santiago municipality. Her career intersects with major Chilean political figures, national institutions, and international events that shaped contemporary Chilean public life.

Early life and education

Born in Santiago to a family with links to public service and industry, Matthei's formative years coincided with political transformations in Chile under leaders such as Salvador Allende and Augusto Pinochet. She attended the University of Chile, where she studied economics amid the influence of scholars from the Chicago Boys circle and economists connected to institutions like the Central Bank of Chile and the Inter-American Development Bank. During the 1970s and 1980s her educational path placed her in proximity to figures associated with the National Party (Chile, 1966) and later with the formation of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) alongside politicians such as Jaime Guzmán and Hernán Larraín. Her academic background connected her to public agencies including the Ministry of Labor and Social Provision and state enterprises such as the Compañía de Acero del Pacífico.

Political career

Matthei began her political trajectory within right-leaning coalitions that emerged after the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite and the return to democracy. She served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and later as a senator in the Senate of Chile, engaging with legislative debates on social policy, labor law reforms, and taxation alongside colleagues from parties such as the Christian Democratic Party (Chile), the Socialist Party of Chile, and National Renewal (Chile). Her tenure in the legislature placed her in committees interacting with institutions like the Superintendence of Pensions (Chile) and the Fiscal Agency of Chile, and involved negotiation with presidents from the Concertación and Chile Vamos coalitions, including interchanges with leaders such as Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet. She participated in cross-party dialogues on issues linked to treaties and accords like the Trans-Pacific Partnership discussions and regional mechanisms including the Union of South American Nations.

Ministerial and executive roles

As a cabinet member, Matthei held ministerial responsibilities that connected her with national portfolios and international counterparts. She was appointed to a ministerial post under Sebastián Piñera and worked with agencies including the Ministry of Labor and Social Provision and the Undersecretariat of Labor. Her executive roles involved coordination with labor confederations such as the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores and employers' associations like the Confederation of Production and Commerce (Chile), as well as engagement with multilateral organizations including the International Labour Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Later, as mayor of a major Santiago commune, she managed municipal services that interfaced with metropolitan institutions like the Intendencia Metropolitana de Santiago and public utilities regulated by entities such as the Superintendence of Electricity and Fuels (Chile).

2013 presidential campaign

In the 2013 presidential election Matthei was the candidate for the Independent Democratic Union within the broader center-right coalition Alliance (Chile), later reconfigured as Chile Vamos. Her campaign competed against candidates including Michelle Bachelet of the Socialist Party of Chile, Marco Enríquez-Ominami of the Progressive Party (Chile), and Franco Parisi among others. The campaign debated issues such as labor market reform, pension system changes tied to the AFP (Chile) structure, and education policy reforms championed by student movements connected to organizations like the Confederation of Secondary Students and the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities. Her platform invoked policy comparisons with administrations of Ricardo Lagos and Sebastián Piñera and engaged with media outlets including El Mercurio and La Tercera during televised debates and campaign events.

Political positions and ideology

Matthei's positions align with conservative and market-oriented strands associated with the Independent Democratic Union, advocating for private pension structures, flexible labor regulation, and fiscal discipline linked to institutions such as the Ministry of Finance (Chile)]. She has criticized expansive public spending proposals associated with progressive platforms championed by figures like Camila Vallejo and Alejandro Guillier while supporting law-and-order approaches resonant with mayors from municipalities across the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Her stances on social issues have placed her in debates with legislators from the Humanist Party (Chile) and the Communist Party of Chile, and in public policy discussions involving the Constitution of Chile and constitutional reform movements debated in forums like the National Congress of Chile.

Personal life and honors

Matthei's personal life includes familial ties to business and public service circles in Santiago and interactions with civic institutions such as the Chilean Red Cross and cultural organizations like the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. She has received recognitions from municipal associations and civic groups, and her public service record has been noted in media histories compiled by outlets such as CNN Chile and Radio Cooperativa. Her career has intersected with international exchanges involving the United Nations and regional summits like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

Category:Chilean politicians Category:1953 births Category:Living people