Ministry of National Defense (Chile)
Ministerio de Defensa Nacional | |
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Ministry headquarters | |
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1932 |
Preceding agencies |
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Type | Ministry |
Jurisdiction | Government of Chile |
Headquarters | Zenteno 45 (esquina Alameda Bernardo O'Higgins) Santiago |
Ministers responsible |
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Child agencies |
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Website | Official website (in Spanish) |
The Ministry of National Defense (Spanish: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional) is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining the independence and sovereignty" of Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing the defense policies formulated by the President of Chile. The minister supervises all the Chilean armed forces. It is Chile's ministry of defence.
History[]
During the first days of the independence movements, the senior "secretary" of the respective Junta would function as the Secretary of Government with administrative power over the army. The office officially first came to be on March 17, 1814, when then Supreme Director Francisco de la Lastra dictated the approved on that date. It was then named Secretariat of War. It was abolished the same year by the Spanish authorities when, after the Battle of Rancagua, they re-asserted royal power.
On October 23, 1818, after independence the secretariat was re-established, but this time with the inclusion of the Department of Navy as a "Secretariat of War and Navy" (1818-1837), though in common usage, the secretaries started to be called ministers when they held both secretariats (War and Navy) concurrently. Later on February 1, 1837 the office was officially renamed "Ministry of War and Navy" (1837-1932). In 1924, War and Navy were separated into two independent ministries, but on July 8, 1932 both branches were reunited again into one ministry renamed "Ministry of Defense", with the addition of the department of Aviation that had belonged to the Ministry of the Interior until that date.
On October 28, 1947, by Decree 2.320, it fell under the purview of this ministry the control of the Supreme Command of National Defense, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Central Purchasing Committee of the Armed Forces, the Civil Defense Forces and the Chilean chapter of the Red Cross. In 1960, the oversight was expanded to include the Superior Council on National Security (Consusena) and the Council of Commanders-in-Chief. According to Decree 200 of April 15, 1976, the oversight was again expanded to include the National Police (Carabineros and Investigaciones).
As indicated before, this ministry has undergone several reorganizations during its long history, reflected in its different names:
- Secretariat of War (1814)
- Secretariat of War and Navy (1818-1831)
- Ministry of War and Navy (1831-1924)
- Ministry of War and Ministry of Navy (1924-1932)
- Ministry of National Defense - First Creation (1932)
- Ministry of War and Aviation and Ministry of Navy (1932)
- Ministry of National Defense - Second Creation (1932–present)
Organization[]
The main dependencies of the Ministry are:
- Undersecretary of Defense: in charge of the defence policy
- (ANEPE)
- Undersecretary of the Armed Forces in charge of the administratives duties
- Joint Staff Command
Titulars[]
Patria Vieja period[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
March 14, 1814 | July 23, 1814 | Secretary of War | Francisco de la Lastra | ||
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Manuel Rodríguez Erdoyza | August 10, 1814 | October 2, 1814 | Secretary of War |
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Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
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José Ignacio Zenteno del Pozo | February 18, 1817 | October 8, 1820 | Bernardo O'Higgins | |
José Antonio Rodríguez Aldea | October 8, 1820 | January 7, 1823 | Secretary of War | ||
January 28, 1823 | Secretary of Navy | ||||
January 7, 1823 | Secretary of War | ||||
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January 28, 1823 | April 4, 1823 | Secretary of War | Government Junta | |
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Mariano Egaña Fabres | Secretary of Navy | |||
April 4, 1823 | July 12, 1824 | Ramón Freire | |||
July 12, 1824 | February 22, 1825 | ||||
February 22, 1825 | June 18, 1825 | Secretary of War | |||
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Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín | Secretary of Navy | |||
June 18, 1825 | October 9, 1825 | Secretary of War | |||
Secretary of Navy | |||||
October 9, 1825 | June 21, 1826 | ||||
June 21, 1826 | September 26, 1826 | Interim | |||
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Luis de la Cruz y Goyeneche | September 26, 1826 | March 8, 1827 | Agustín Eyzaguirre | |
March 8, 1827 | July 16, 1829 | Ramón Freire | |||
José Santiago Muñoz Bezanilla | July 16, 1829 | November 9, 1829 | Francisco Ramón Vicuña | ||
November 9, 1829 | December 7, 1829 | ||||
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February 20, 1830 | September 25, 1830 | Appointed by | Francisco Ruiz-Tagle | |
Reappointed by | José Tomás Ovalle | ||||
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José María de la Cruz Prieto | September 25, 1830 | March 24, 1831 | Appointed by | |
Reappointed by | Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate | ||||
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Diego Portales Palazuelos | March 24, 1831 | August 31, 1831 | Appointed by | |
Reappointed by | José Joaquín Prieto Vial | ||||
August 31, 1831 | September 19, 1831 | Secretary of War | |||
Secretary of Navy | |||||
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Diego Portales Palazuelos | September 19, 1831 | December 4, 1832 | ||
December 4, 1832 | April 21, 1835 | ||||
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Diego Portales Palazuelos | April 21, 1835 | June 7, 1836 | ||
June 7, 1836 | March 27, 1841 | ||||
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Manuel Montt Torres | March 27, 1841 | September 18, 1841 | Interim | |
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José María de la Cruz Prieto | September 18, 1841 | April 20, 1842 | Manuel Bulnes Prieto | |
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April 20, 1842 | September 18, 1846 | |||
September 18, 1846 | April 8, 1848 | ||||
April 8, 1848 | September 18, 1851 | ||||
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José Francisco Gana | September 18, 1851 | January 13, 1853 | Manuel Montt Torres | |
January 13, 1853 | September 18, 1856 | ||||
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José Francisco Gana | September 18, 1856 | September 29, 1857 | ||
Manuel García Banqueda | September 29, 1857 | July 9, 1862 | Appointed by | ||
Reappointed by | José Joaquín Pérez Mascayano | ||||
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Marcos Maturana del Campo | July 9, 1862 | March 30, 1865 | ||
March 30, 1865 | September 8, 1866 | ||||
Federico Errázuriz Zañartu | September 8, 1866 | November 13, 1868 | |||
November 13, 1868 | August 2, 1870 | ||||
August 2, 1870 | September 18, 1871 | ||||
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Aníbal Pinto Garmendia | September 18, 1871 | April 3, 1875 | Federico Errázuriz Zañartu | |
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April 3, 1875 | April 19, 1875 | |||
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April 19, 1875 | September 18, 1876 | |||
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September 18, 1876 | October 27, 1877 | Aníbal Pinto | ||
October 27, 1877 | August 5, 1878 | ||||
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Cornelio Saavedra Rodríguez | August 5, 1878 | April 17, 1879 | ||
April 17, 1879 | August 20, 1879 | ||||
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August 20, 1879 | June 16, 1880 | |||
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Eusebio Lillo Robles | June 16, 1880 | July 15, 1880 | ||
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July 15, 1880 | September 18, 1881 | |||
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September 18, 1881 | January 18, 1884 | Domingo Santa María | ||
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Patricio Lynch y Solo de Zaldívar | January 18, 1884 | May 7, 1884 | ||
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May 7, 1884 | September 18, 1886 | |||
September 18, 1886 | November 30, 1886 | José Manuel Balmaceda | |||
November 30, 1886 | June 28, 1887 | ||||
June 28, 1887 | April 13, 1888 | ||||
April 13, 1888 | November 2, 1888 | ||||
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November 2, 1888 | May 1, 1889 | |||
José Miguel Valdés Carrera | May 1, 1889 | June 11, 1889 | |||
June 11, 1889 | October 23, 1889 | ||||
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October 23, 1889 | November 7, 1889 | |||
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Luis Barros Borgoño | November 7, 1889 | January 21, 1890 | ||
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José Velásquez Bórquez | January 21, 1890 | August 7, 1890 | ||
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Federico Errázuriz Echaurren | August 7, 1890 | October 15, 1890 | ||
José Francisco Gana Castro | October 15, 1890 | March 29, 1891 | |||
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José Velásquez Bórquez | March 29, 1891 | August 29, 1891 | ||
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Adolfo Holley Urzúa | September 7, 1891 | December 26, 1891 | Revolutionary Junta of Iquique | |
December 26, 1891 | March 14, 1892 | Jorge Montt | |||
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Luis Barros Borgoño | March 14, 1892 | July 9, 1892 | ||
July 9, 1892 | September 22, 1892 | ||||
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September 22, 1892 | April 22, 1893 | |||
April 22, 1893 | August 8, 1893 | ||||
August 8, 1893 | October 6, 1893 | ||||
October 6, 1893 | April 26, 1894 | ||||
April 26, 1894 | December 7, 1894 | ||||
December 7, 1894 | August 1, 1895 | ||||
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August 1, 1895 | November 24, 1895 | |||
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Luis Barros Borgoño | November 24, 1895 | September 18, 1896 | ||
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Manuel Bulnes Pinto | September 18, 1896 | November 26, 1896 | Federico Errázuriz Echaurren | |
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Elías Fernández Albano | November 26, 1896 | June 26, 1897 | ||
June 26, 1897 | August 25, 1897 | ||||
August 25, 1897 | December 23, 1897 | ||||
December 23, 1897 | May 5, 1898 | ||||
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May 5, 1898 | December 19, 1898 | |||
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December 19, 1898 | June 27, 1899 | |||
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Javier Angel Figueroa Larraín | June 27, 1899 | September 2, 1899 | ||
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September 2, 1899 | November 27, 1899 | |||
Ricardo Matte Pérez | November 27, 1899 | November 3, 1900 | |||
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November 3, 1900 | March 14, 1901 | |||
March 14, 1901 | May 1, 1901 | ||||
May 1, 1901 | September 18, 1901 | ||||
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September 18, 1901 | May 6, 1902 | Germán Riesco | ||
May 6, 1902 | November 20, 1902 | ||||
November 20, 1902 | April 4, 1903 | ||||
Ricardo Matte Pérez | April 4, 1903 | September 1, 1903 | |||
September 1, 1903 | October 23, 1903 | ||||
October 23, 1903 | January 10, 1904 | ||||
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January 10, 1904 | March 12, 1904 | |||
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March 12, 1904 | April 12, 1904 | |||
Joaquín Muñoz Hurtado | April 12, 1904 | October 30, 1904 | |||
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October 30, 1904 | March 18, 1905 | |||
March 18, 1905 | August 1, 1905 | ||||
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Luis Uribe Orrego | August 1, 1905 | October 21, 1905 | ||
October 21, 1905 | March 19, 1906 | ||||
March 19, 1906 | May 7, 1906 | ||||
May 7, 1906 | September 18, 1906 | ||||
September 18, 1906 | October 29, 1906 | Pedro Montt | |||
October 29, 1906 | June 12, 1907 | ||||
June 12, 1907 | October 25, 1907 | ||||
October 25, 1907 | August 29, 1908 | ||||
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Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera | August 29, 1908 | January 22, 1909 | ||
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January 22, 1909 | June 15, 1909 | |||
June 15, 1909 | September 15, 1909 | ||||
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Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera | September 15, 1909 | June 25, 1910 | ||
Carlos Larraín Claro | June 25, 1910 | December 23, 1910 | |||
December 23, 1910 | January 11, 1911 | Ramón Barros Luco | |||
January 11, 1911 | July 11, 1911 | ||||
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Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera | July 11, 1911 | August 15, 1911 | ||
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August 15, 1911 | January 23, 1912 | |||
January 23, 1912 | May 29, 1912 | ||||
May 29, 1912 | August 8, 1912 | ||||
August 8, 1912 | January 13, 1913 | ||||
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January 13, 1913 | November 16, 1913 | |||
November 16, 1913 | September 6, 1914 | ||||
September 6, 1914 | December 15, 1914 | ||||
December 15, 1914 | June 7, 1915 | ||||
June 7, 1915 | December 23, 1915 | ||||
December 23, 1915 | January 8, 1916 | Juan Luis Sanfuentes | |||
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January 8, 1916 | July 1, 1916 | |||
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Jorge Boonen Rivera | July 1, 1916 | November 20, 1916 | ||
November 20, 1916 | July 14, 1917 | ||||
July 14, 1917 | October 13, 1917 | ||||
October 13, 1917 | January 18, 1918 | ||||
January 18, 1918 | April 22, 1918 | ||||
April 22, 1918 | September 6, 1918 | ||||
September 6, 1918 | November 28, 1918 | ||||
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November 28, 1918 | September 23, 1919 | |||
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Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera | September 23, 1919 | November 8, 1919 | ||
Germán Ignacio Riesco Errázuriz | November 8, 1919 | March 29, 1920 | |||
March 29, 1920 | June 16, 1920 | ||||
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Pedro Opazo Letelier | June 16, 1920 | July 1, 1920 | ||
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July 1, 1920 | December 23, 1920 | |||
December 23, 1920 | May 12, 1921 | Arturo Alessandri | |||
Enrique Balmaceda Toro | May 12, 1921 | August 16, 1921 | |||
August 16, 1921 | November 3, 1921 | ||||
November 3, 1921 | March 22, 1922 | ||||
March 22, 1922 | April 1, 1922 | ||||
Roberto Sánchez García de la Huerta | April 1, 1922 | August 29, 1922 | |||
August 29, 1922 | December 21, 1922 | ||||
December 21, 1922 | January 12, 1923 | ||||
January 12, 1923 | March 16, 1923 | ||||
March 16, 1923 | June 15, 1923 | ||||
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Luis Altamirano Talavera | June 15, 1923 | January 4, 1924 | ||
January 4, 1924 | February 1, 1924 | ||||
February 1, 1924 | July 22, 1924 | ||||
July 22, 1924 | September 5, 1924 | ||||
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Juan Pablo Bennett Argandoña | September 5, 1924 | September 11, 1924 | ||
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Luis Gómez Carreño | September 12, 1924 | December 19, 1924 | September Junta |
Ministers of War[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
December 19, 1924 | January 23, 1925 | September Junta | |||
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Carlos Ibáñez del Campo | January 29, 1925 | February 22, 1927 | January Junta | |
February 22, 1927 | May 23, 1927 | Emiliano Figueroa | |||
Carlos Frödden Lorenzen | May 23, 1927 | June 21, 1927 | Minister of National Defense | Carlos Ibáñez del Campo | |
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Bartolomé Blanche Espejo | June 21, 1927 | November 7, 1930 | ||
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November 7, 1930 | July 26, 1931 | |||
Carlos Sáez Morales | July 26, 1931 | August 14, 1931 | Appointed by | Pedro Opazo | |
Reappointed by | Juan Esteban Montero | ||||
Enrique Bravo Ortiz | August 14, 1931 | September 3, 1931 | |||
September 3, 1931 | March 5, 1932 | Manuel Trucco |
[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
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Luis Gómez Carreño | December 19, 1924 | January 23, 1925 | September Junta | |
January 29, 1925 | December 23, 1925 | January Junta | |||
December 23, 1925 | February 22, 1927 | Emiliano Figueroa | |||
Carlos Frödden Lorenzen | February 22, 1927 | May 23, 1927 | |||
May 23, 1927 | June 21, 1927 | Minister of National Defense | Carlos Ibáñez del Campo | ||
June 21, 1927 | August 5, 1930 | ||||
August 5, 1930 | April 27, 1931 | ||||
April 27, 1931 | July 26, 1931 | ||||
July 26, 1931 | September 3, 1931 | Appointed by | Pedro Opazo | ||
Reappointed by | Juan Esteban Montero | ||||
September 3, 1931 | March 5, 1932 | Manuel Trucco |
Ministers of National Defense (First Creation)[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
March 9, 1932 | April 7, 1932 | Juan Esteban Montero | |||
April 7, 1932 | June 4, 1932 | ||||
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Marmaduque Grove Vallejo | June 5, 1932 | June 17, 1932 | Socialist Junta | |
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Arturo Puga Osorio | June 17, 1932 | July 8, 1932 |
Ministers of War and Aviation[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
July 8, 1932 | September 14, 1932 | Carlos Dávila | |||
Luis Otero Mujica | September 14, 1932 | October 3, 1932 | Bartolomé Blanche | ||
Carlos Sáez Morales | October 3, 1932 | December 24, 1932 | Abraham Oyanedel |
[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
July 8, 1932 | August 12, 1932 | Carlos Dávila | |||
August 12, 1932 | August 13, 1932 | ||||
August 13, 1932 | October 3, 1932 | ||||
October 3, 1932 | December 24, 1932 | Abraham Oyanedel |
Ministers of National Defense (Second Creation, 1932-1990)[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Notes | Appointed by |
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Emilio Bello Codecido | December 24, 1932 | April 9, 1938 | Arturo Alessandri | |
April 9, 1938 | September 25, 1938 | Interim | |||
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Emilio Bello Codecido | September 25, 1938 | December 24, 1938 | ||
Alberto Cabero Díaz | December 24, 1938 | April 13, 1939 | Pedro Aguirre Cerda | ||
April 13, 1939 | December 26, 1939 | ||||
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Alfredo Duhalde Vásquez | December 26, 1939 | October 24, 1940 | ||
October 24, 1940 | June 10, 1941 | ||||
June 10, 1941 | November 21, 1941 | ||||
November 21, 1941 | April 2, 1942 | Jerónimo Méndez | |||
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Alfredo Duhalde Vásquez | April 2, 1942 | 1944 | Juan Antonio Ríos | |
1944 | 1945 | ||||
1945 | 1946 | ||||
1946 | April, 1947 | Gabriel González Videla | |||
April, 1947 | August, 1947 | ||||
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August, 1947 | November 3, 1952 | |||
November 3, 1952 | 1954 | Carlos Ibáñez del Campo | |||
1954 | 1955 | ||||
1955 | 1955 | ||||
1955 | 1957 | ||||
1957 | November 3, 1958 | ||||
Luis Vidal Vargas | November 3, 1958 | 1958 | Jorge Alessandri | ||
Carlos Vidal | 1958 | 1961 | |||
1961 | 1961 | ||||
1961 | 1963 | ||||
Carlos Vidal | 1963 | November 3, 1964 | |||
November 3, 1964 | 1969 | Eduardo Frei Montalva | |||
1969 | 1970 | ||||
1970 | November 3, 1970 | ||||
November 3, 1970 | January 7, 1972 | Salvador Allende | |||
José Tohá González | January 7, 1972 | July 5, 1973 | |||
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Clodomiro Almeyda Medina | July 5, 1973 | August 9, 1973 | ||
Carlos Prats González | August 9, 1973 | August 23, 1973 | |||
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Orlando Letelier Del Solar | August 28, 1973 | September 11, 1973 | ||
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Patricio Carvajal Prado | September 11, 1973 | 1974 | Augusto Pinochet | |
Oscar Bonilla Bradánovich | 1974 | 1975 | |||
1975 | 1978 | ||||
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César Raúl Benavides | 1978 | 1980 | ||
1980 | 1982 | ||||
1982 | 1983 | ||||
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Patricio Carvajal Prado | 1983 | March 11, 1990 |
Ministers of National Defense (1990-present)[]
Picture | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Party | Appointed by | |
Patricio Rojas Saavedra | March 11, 1990 | March 11, 1994 | DC | Patricio Aylwin | ||
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Edmundo Pérez Yoma | March 11, 1994 | 1998 | DC | Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle | |
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José Florencio Guzmán | 1998 | 1998 | DC | ||
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Raúl Troncoso Castillo | 1998 | 1999 | DC | ||
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Edmundo Pérez Yoma | 1999 | March 11, 2000 | DC | ||
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Mario Fernández Baeza | March 11, 2000 | January 7, 2002 | DC | Ricardo Lagos | |
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Michelle Bachelet Jeria | January 7, 2002 | October 1, 2004 | PS | ||
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Jaime Ravinet De La Fuente | October 1, 2004 | March 11, 2006 | DC | ||
Vivianne Blanlot Soza | March 11, 2006 | March 27, 2007 | PPD | Michelle Bachelet | ||
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José Goñi | March 27, 2007 | March 12, 2009 | PPD | ||
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Francisco Vidal Salinas | March 12, 2009 | March 11, 2010 | PPD | ||
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Jaime Ravinet de la Fuente | March 11, 2010 | January 14, 2011 | Ind. | Sebastián Piñera | |
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Andrés Allamand Zavala | January 16, 2011 | November 5, 2012 | RN | ||
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Rodrigo Hinzpeter Kirgberg | November 5, 2012 | March 11, 2014 | RN | ||
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Jorge Burgos Varela | March 11, 2014 | May 11, 2015 | DC | Michelle Bachelet | |
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José Antonio Gómez Urrutia | May 11, 2015 | March 11, 2018 | PR | ||
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Alberto Espina Otero | March 11, 2018 | July 28, 2020 | RN | Sebastián Piñera | |
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Mario Desbordes Jiménez | July 28, 2020 | Incumbent | RN |
See also[]
- Military of Chile
- Defence Diplomacy
References[]
- República de Chile (1942). "VI. Poder Ejecutivo - Nómina de Gobernantes, Presidentes y Ministros desde la Independencia.". Manual del Senado. 1810-1942 (PDF) (in Spanish). Santiago de Chile: Imprenta Universitaria. (in Spanish)
- Valencia Avaria, Luis (1986). Anales de la República: textos constitucionales de Chile y registro de los ciudadanos que han integrado los poderes ejecutivo y legislativo desde 1810 (in Spanish) (2ª edición ed.). Santiago de Chile: Editorial Andrés Bello. (in Spanish)
External links[]
- Official Website of the Ministry of Defense of Chile (in Spanish)
- Defence ministries
- Government ministries of Chile
- Military of Chile
- Ministries established in 1814