Evelyn Rose Matthei Fornet (born November 11, 1953) is a
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
an politician who served as
Minister of Labor and Social Security under
Chilean President Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique OMCh (; born 1 December 1949) is a Chilean billionaire businessman and politician who served as president of Chile from 2010 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022.
The son of a Christian Democratic polit ...
until July 2013. She was the
Independent Democrat Union
The Independent Democratic Union (''Unión Demócrata Independiente'', UDI) is a conservative and right-wing political party in Chile, founded in 1983. Its founder was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a civilian allied with ...
Party's nominee for President of Chile in the
2013 elections
The following elections were occurred in the year 2013.
Asia
* 2013 Armenian local elections 26 May, 17 November, and 8 December 2013
* 2013 Armenian presidential election 18 February 2013
* 2013 Bangladeshi presidential election 22 April 2013 ...
.
[La Tercera]
, July 20th, 2013. (Spanish) She is currently serving her second term as the mayor of
Providencia.
Matthei began her career as a lecturer at the
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (''PUC or UC Chile'') ( es, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) is one of the six Catholic Universities existing in the Chilean university system and one of the two pontifical universities i ...
, before working in management in the private sector.
[Biography, National Congress website]
(Spanish). Following Chile's
return to democracy in 1989, she successfully ran for
Deputy of the 23rd Electoral District the year after. Matthei remained in
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
, serving another term as Deputy and being elected
Senator twice before she was appointed to the
Cabinet in 2011.
[Senate Resume]
(Spanish).
Besides her political career, Matthei is also an accomplished pianist.
[La Tercera]
, June 3rd, 2012 (Spanish).
Family and education
Matthei was born in
Santiago de Chile
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
, the second child of Elda Fornet Fernández and
Fernando Matthei Aubel, a
military officer. Her father was
Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services.
Some governments have separate ministers for mental health.
Coun ...
during
Augusto Pinochet’s government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
; later becoming
Commander-in-chief of the
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
, and in this capacity, a member of the
Military Junta
A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...
until Chile’s return to democracy.
As a child, Matthei's family were friends with
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (; born 29 September 1951) is a Chilean politician who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022. She previously served as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and 2014 to 201 ...
and her family. Bachelet later became president of Chile and in 2013 Matthei challenged her for the presidency.
During her
secondary education
Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...
, Matthei developed a passion for music and
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
, and upon graduation expressed interest in becoming a
concert pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
. Matthei was able to obtain scholarships for her studies.
Following graduation, she took the admissions exams for university; but at the time her father was appointed
military attaché to the Chilean
Embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, and she decided to pursue her piano career in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
. Three years later, she realized she would not become a concert pianist and decided to return to Chile.
In 1974 Matthei started studying at the Economics Institute of the
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (''PUC or UC Chile'') ( es, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) is one of the six Catholic Universities existing in the Chilean university system and one of the two pontifical universities i ...
, from which she received a
licentiate in Economics after four years. She completed her undergraduate degree in
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
and was awarded a prize as the top economics student of her year, but her thesis was stolen, preventing her from completing the requirements for a professional licence in business.
While studying, Matthei worked as a research assistant. She collaborated with former President Sebastián Piñera on a
Latin American Economic Commission paper on poverty in the region; as well as a helping develop a textbook on
Monetary Theory
Monetary economics is the branch of economics that studies the different competing theories of money: it provides a framework for analyzing money and considers its functions (such as medium of exchange, store of value and unit of account), and it ...
with Professor Hernando Cortés for the Economics Institute of her University.
Early career
Matthei became a professor of
International Economics
International economics is concerned with the effects upon economic activity from international differences in productive resources and consumer preferences and the international institutions that affect them. It seeks to explain the patterns and ...
at the Economics Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. After working a year as a researcher in a private consultancy, Forestal
S.A. she became an analyst in the ''Superintendencia de AFP'', the government body overseeing operation of Chile's by then
privatized pension system. Less than a year later she was promoted to head of department.
In 1986 she resigned her government position to become VP of Tourism, Commerce and Securities at Bancard S.A. a position she'd keep until being elected Deputy four years later. In 1988 she was invited to become an adviser for the Social and Economic Commission, and returned to teaching at the Catholic University, this time as a Professor of Introduction to Economics. In November 2015 she announced that she was returning to politics and that she will run for major of Providencia in the municipal elections of 2016.
Political career
Matthei entered Chilean
politics
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
in the late 1980s, after the military government relaxed control over political activity. She joined
National Renewal party's youth group called Patrulla Juvenil ("Youth Patrol"), along with future President of Chile Sebastián Piñera, and future fellow senator and minister
Andrés Allamand
Andrés Allamand Zavala (born February 7, 1956), a Chilean politician, is the founder and one of the past leaders of Renovación Nacional. He is of French, and Basque descent. On January 14, 2011 he was named Minister of Defense by president S ...
. She was a member of the party's Political Commission and later elected its National Vice president.
In 1990, she was National Renewal's candidate for Deputy for the 23rd Electoral district, representing the upscale communes of
Las Condes,
Vitacura
Vitacura is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. It is one of the most expensive and fashionable areas of Santiago. Inhabitants are primarily high income families. It belongs to the Northeastern zone o ...
, and
Lo Barnechea, winning by a broad margin. Following her increasing popularity,
[La Tercera, October 29, 2008]
(Spanish) Matthei was tapped as a potential presidential candidate for the center-right Democracy and Progress Coalition. However, following a highly publicized wire-tapping scandal in 1993 known as
Piñeragate, involving her and rival presidential hopeful Sebastián Piñera, she was forced to desist from her presidential bid.
Disgusted with the way National Renewal leaders dealt with the scandal, she resigned from the party and continued her political career as an independent until 1999.
[El Mercurio, July 21st, 2013]
(Spanish)
In 1994, she opted to run for Deputy of the 15th Electoral District of San Antonio, winning the seat as an independent with support from the Independent Democrat Union (UDI) party. Upon completion of her term, Matthei was elected senator in 1997, representing the Coquimbo Region, being re-elected in 2005. In 1999, she joined the Independent Democrat Union. As Senator, she became the first woman to preside over the Senate Budget and Oversight Committee. Matthei resigned from her seat in January 2011 when she was appointed
Minister of Labor and Social Security by President Sebastián Piñera.
As Minister, Matthei gained notoriety for her fiery personality and was the center of several heated exchanges with members both of the governing coalition and the opposition.
Her relatively liberal
views on
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
,
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...
and tax reform deepened a growing rift with her own party, and in March 2013, she confided that she had decided to quit politics following completion of her term as Minister.
On July 17, and after winning the primary, UDI presidential candidate
Pablo Longueira
Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (born August 12, 1958) is a Chilean right-wing politician and industrial civil engineer who served as Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism of Chile from 2011 to 2013. He was a founding member of the Independent ...
resigned citing health reasons. Three days later, the Political Commission of the party unanimously proclaimed Evelyn Matthei as their new presidential candidate for the elections in November. On December 15, 2013 she lost the presidential election to socialist candidate Michelle Bachelet 62% to 38%.
Personal life
Evelyn Matthei is married to fellow economist and former
Chilean Central Bank Deputy Governor
Jorge Desormeaux, with whom she has three children. She is a classically trained pianist, and speaks English and German as well as her native Spanish.
Electoral history
;1989 parliamentary elections
Deputy for the District No. 23 (
Las Condes,
Vitacura
Vitacura is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. It is one of the most expensive and fashionable areas of Santiago. Inhabitants are primarily high income families. It belongs to the Northeastern zone o ...
and
Lo Barnechea),
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region ( es, link=no, Región Metropolitana de Santiago) is one of Chile's 16 first-order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago. Mos ...
; 1993 parliamentary elections
Deputy for District No. 15 (
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
),
Valparaíso Region
The Valparaíso Region ( es, Región de Valparaíso, links=no, ) is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's second-highest population of 1,790,219 , and fourth-smallest area of , ...
; 1997 parliamentary elections
Senator for the Circunscription No. 4 (
Coquimbo Region
The Coquimbo Region ( es, Región de Coquimbo, ) is one of Chile's 16 regions (first order administrative divisions). It is bordered by Atacama to the north, Valparaíso to the south, Argentina to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
)
; 2005 parliamentary elections
Senator for the Circunscription No. 4 (
Coquimbo Region
The Coquimbo Region ( es, Región de Coquimbo, ) is one of Chile's 16 regions (first order administrative divisions). It is bordered by Atacama to the north, Valparaíso to the south, Argentina to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
)
Elecciones.gov.cl
Votación Candidatos por Circunscripción 4, Senadores 2005
References
External links
Official campaign web site
Biography of Evelyn Matthei by CIDOB
(in Spanish)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthei, Evelyn
1953 births
Candidates for President of Chile
20th-century Chilean economists
Chilean people of French descent
Chilean people of German descent
Chilean people of Spanish descent
Chilean people of Swiss descent
Independent Democratic Union politicians
Living people
Members of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile
Members of the Senate of Chile
Politicians from Santiago
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile alumni
20th-century Chilean women politicians
20th-century Chilean politicians
21st-century Chilean women politicians
Women members of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile
Women members of the Senate of Chile
Women mayors of places in Chile
Mayors of Providencia