Evelyn Matthei

Evelyn Rose Matthei Fornet (born 11 November 1953) is a Chilean politician and the current mayor of Providencia, a prosperous commune of Santiago, serving since 2016.

In 1974 Matthei started studying at the Economics Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, from which she received a licentiate in Economics after four years.

She completed her undergraduate degree in Economics 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 with Professor Hernando Cortés for the Economics Institute of her university.

Matthei started her career as a professor of International Economics at the Economics Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Following a year of work as a researcher in a private consultancy, Forestal S.A., she took on the role of an analyst in the Superintendencia de AFP.

This government body was responsible for overseeing Chile's privatized pension system.

Less than a year later she was promoted to the head of the department.

Matthei entered Chilean politics 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.

She was a member of the party's Political Commission and later elected its National Vice president.

In 1986, Matthei made the decision to resign from her government position and assumed the role of Vice President of Tourism, Commerce, and Securities at Bancard S.A., where she remained until her election as Deputy four years later.

Following Chile's return to democracy in 1988, she ventured into politics.

Besides her political career, Matthei is also an accomplished pianist.

After a failed candidacy in the 2021 presidential election, Matthei is emerging as the front-runner for the 2025 presidential election.

Matthei was born in Santiago de Chile, the second child of Elda Fornet Fernández and Fernando Matthei Aubel, a military officer.

Her father was Minister of Health during Augusto Pinochet’s government; later becoming Commander-in-chief of the Air Force, and in this capacity, a member of the Military Junta until Chile’s return to democracy.

As a child, Matthei's family were friends with Michelle Bachelet and her family.

During this time, in 1988, she was invited to serve as an adviser for the Social and Economic Commission.

She also returned to teaching at the Catholic University, this time as a Professor of Introduction to Economics.

Prior to her current position, she held the role of Deputy in the Chilean Congress from 1990 to 1998, and subsequently served as a Senator from 1998 to 2011.

In 1990, she was National Renewal's candidate for Deputy for the 23rd Electoral district, representing the upscale communes of Las Condes, Vitacura, and Lo Barnechea, winning by a broad margin.

Following her increasing popularity, 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.

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.

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.

In 1999, she joined the Independent Democrat Union.

As Senator, she became the first woman to preside over the Senate Budget and Oversight Committee.

In January 2011, she left her Senate seat to assume the role of Minister of Labor and Social Security under Chilean President Sebastián Piñera until July 2013.

Matthei resigned from her seat in January 2011 when she was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Security by President Sebastián Piñera.

In the 2013 Chilean general election, she ran for President with the support of the Independent Democrat Union Party.

However, she lost in a runoff to former President Michelle Bachelet.

An economist by training, Matthei began her professional career as a lecturer at her alma mater, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, before transitioning to a management role in the private sector.

Bachelet later became president of Chile and in 2013 Matthei challenged her for the presidency.

During her secondary education, Matthei developed a passion for music and piano, and upon graduation expressed interest in becoming a concert pianist.

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 in London, and she decided to pursue her piano career in Britain.

Three years later, she realized she would not become a concert pianist and decided to return to Chile.