The Ministry of Public Works () is the

cabinet-level A cabinet in governing is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are ...

administrative office in charge of "planning, directing, controlling and building the public infrastructure, as well as the conservation and management of them" within

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

. It is also responsible for the "management, distribution, use and conservation" of all the water resources within the country. They answer directly to the

President of Chile The president of Chile (), officially the president of the Republic of Chile (), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is responsible for both Government of Chile, government administration and s ...

. Since 10 March 2023, the Minister of Public Works is

Jessica López Jessica Brizeida López Arocha (born January 22, 1986) is a Venezuelan artistic gymnast who competes for the Venezuela national team. She competed at the 2008, the 2012 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she qualified to the uneven bars final, ...

History

The office was first created by law of 21 June 1887, under President

José Manuel Balmaceda José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández (; July 19, 1840 – September 19, 1891) served as the 10th President of Chile from September 18, 1886, to August 29, 1891. Balmaceda was part of the Castilian-Basque aristocracy in Chile. While h ...

as the ''Ministry of Industry and Public Works''. Since then it has undergone several reorganizations during its history, reflected in its different names: *Ministry of Industry and Public Works 21 June 1887 - 20 May 1910 *Ministry of Industry, Public Works and Railroads 20 May 1910 - 19 December 1924 *Ministry of Public Works and Roads 19 December 1924 - 21 March 1925 *Ministry of Public Works, Commerce and Communication Roads 21 March 1925 - 3 October 1927 *Ministry of Foment 3 October 1927 - 21 October 1942 *Ministry of Public Works and Communication Roads 21 October 1942 – 1953 *Ministry of Public Works 1953 - 13 December 1967 *Ministry of Public Works and Transport 13 December 1967 - 8 July 1974 *Ministry of Public Works 8 July 1974 – present

Titulars

Ministers of Industry and Public Works

Ministers of Industry, Public Works and Railroads

Ministers of Public Works and Roads

Ministers of Public Works, Commerce and Communication Roads

Ministers of Foment

Sources

* *

External links

Official Website of Public Works of Chile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry of Public Works (Chile)

Public Works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and procured by a government body for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, ...