Ministry of National Defense (Chile)

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.

Ministry of National Defense
Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
Logo of the Ministry of National Defense
Flag of the Ministry of National Defense

Ministry headquarters
Agency overview
Formed1932
Preceding agencies
  • • Ministry of War and Navy (1818–1924)
  • • Ministry of War (1924–1927,1927–1932)
  • • Ministry of Navy (1924–1927,1927–1932)
  • • Ministry of National Defense (1927)
  • • Ministry of War and Aviation (1932)
TypeMinistry
JurisdictionGovernment of Chile
HeadquartersZenteno 45 (esquina Alameda Bernardo O'Higgins)
Santiago
Ministers responsible
  • Maya Fernández, Minister of National Defense
  • Cristián de la Maza Riquelme, Undersecretary of Defense
  • Alfonso Vargas Lyng, Undersecretary of the Armed Forces
Child agency
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

History

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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 17 March 1814, when then Supreme Director Francisco de la Lastra dictated the Constitutional Norms 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 23 October 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 1 February 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 8 July 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 28 October 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 15 April 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

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The main dependencies of the Ministry are:

  • Subsecretariat of Defense: in charge of the defence policy
  • Subsecretariat of the Armed Forces in charge of the administratives duties
  • Joint Staff Command

Titulars

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Patria Vieja period

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
Andrés Nicolás de Orjera 14 March 1814 23 July 1814 Secretary of War Francisco de la Lastra
  Manuel Rodríguez Erdoyza 10 August 1814 2 October 1814 Secretary of War Government Junta

Ministers of War and Navy

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
  José Ignacio Zenteno del Pozo 18 February 1817 8 October 1820 Bernardo O'Higgins
José Antonio Rodríguez Aldea 8 October 1820 7 January 1823 Secretary of War
Joaquín Echeverría Larraín 28 January 1823 Secretary of Navy
Fernando Elizalde 7 January 1823 Secretary of War
  Agustín Vial Santelices 28 January 1823 4 April 1823 Secretary of War Government Junta
  Mariano Egaña Fabres Secretary of Navy
Juan de Dios Rivera 4 April 1823 12 July 1824 Ramón Freire
Santiago Fernández Barriga 12 July 1824 22 February 1825
José Ignacio Eyzaguirre Arechavala 22 February 1825 18 June 1825 Secretary of War
  Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín Secretary of Navy
Rafael Correa de Saa Lazón 18 June 1825 9 October 1825 Secretary of War
Juan de Dios Vial del Río Secretary of Navy
José María Novoa López 9 October 1825 21 June 1826
Tomás Obejero 21 June 1826 26 September 1826 Interim
  Luis de la Cruz y Goyeneche 26 September 1826 8 March 1827 Agustín Eyzaguirre
José Manuel Borgoño Núñez y Silva 8 March 1827 16 July 1829 Ramón Freire
José Santiago Muñoz Bezanilla 16 July 1829 9 November 1829 Francisco Ramón Vicuña
José Antonio Pérez de Cotapos 9 November 1829 7 December 1829
  José María Benavente Bustamante 20 February 1830 25 September 1830 Appointed by Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Reappointed by José Tomás Ovalle
  José María de la Cruz Prieto 25 September 1830 24 March 1831 Appointed by
Reappointed by Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate
  Diego Portales Palazuelos 24 March 1831 31 August 1831 Appointed by
Reappointed by José Joaquín Prieto Vial
Bartolomé Mujica 31 August 1831 19 September 1831 Secretary of War
Manuel José Calderón Secretary of Navy
  Diego Portales Palazuelos 19 September 1831 4 December 1832
Ramón de la Cavareda Trucíos 4 December 1832 21 April 1835
  Diego Portales Palazuelos 21 April 1835 7 June 1836
Ramón de la Cavareda Trucíos 7 June 1836 27 March 1841
  Manuel Montt Torres 27 March 1841 18 September 1841 Interim
  José María de la Cruz Prieto 18 September 1841 20 April 1842 Manuel Bulnes Prieto
  José Santiago Aldunate Toro 20 April 1842 18 September 1846
José Manuel Borgoño Núñez 18 September 1846 8 April 1848
Pedro Nolasco Vidal 8 April 1848 18 September 1851
  José Francisco Gana 18 September 1851 13 January 1853 Manuel Montt Torres
Pedro Nolasco Vidal 13 January 1853 18 September 1856
  José Francisco Gana 18 September 1856 29 September 1857
Manuel García Banqueda 29 September 1857 9 July 1862 Appointed by
Reappointed by José Joaquín Pérez Mascayano
  Marcos Maturana del Campo 9 July 1862 30 March 1865
José Manuel Pinto Arias 30 March 1865 8 September 1866
  Federico Errázuriz Zañartu 8 September 1866 13 November 1868
Francisco Echaurren García-Huidobro 13 November 1868 2 August 1870
José Ramón Lira Calvo 2 August 1870 18 September 1871
  Aníbal Pinto Garmendia 18 September 1871 3 April 1875 Federico Errázuriz Zañartu
  Ignacio Zenteno Gana 3 April 1875 19 April 1875
  Mariano Sánchez Fontecilla 19 April 1875 18 September 1876
  Belisario Prats Pérez 18 September 1876 27 October 1877 Aníbal Pinto
Manuel García de la Huerta Pérez 27 October 1877 5 August 1878
  Cornelio Saavedra Rodríguez 5 August 1878 17 April 1879
Basilio Urrutia Vásquez 17 April 1879 20 August 1879
  Rafael Sotomayor Baeza 20 August 1879 16 June 1880
  Eusebio Lillo Robles 16 June 1880 15 July 1880
  José Francisco Vergara Echevers 15 July 1880 18 September 1881
  Carlos Castellón Larenas 18 September 1881 18 January 1884 Domingo Santa María
  Patricio Lynch y Solo de Zaldívar 18 January 1884 7 May 1884
  Carlos Antúnez González 7 May 1884 18 September 1886
Evaristo Sánchez Fontecilla 18 September 1886 30 November 1886 José Manuel Balmaceda
Nicolás Peña Vicuña 30 November 1886 28 June 1887
Manuel García de la Huerta Pérez 28 June 1887 13 April 1888
Evaristo Sánchez Fontecilla 13 April 1888 2 November 1888
  Ramón Donoso Vergara 2 November 1888 1 May 1889
José Miguel Valdés Carrera 1 May 1889 11 June 1889
Abraham König Velásquez 11 June 1889 23 October 1889
  Ismael Valdés Valdés 23 October 1889 7 November 1889
  Luis Barros Borgoño 7 November 1889 21 January 1890
  José Velásquez Bórquez 21 January 1890 7 August 1890
  Federico Errázuriz Echaurren 7 August 1890 15 October 1890
  José Francisco Gana Castro 15 October 1890 29 March 1891
  José Velásquez Bórquez 29 March 1891 29 August 1891
  Adolfo Holley Urzúa 7 September 1891 26 December 1891 Revolutionary Junta of Iquique
Ventura Blanco Viel 26 December 1891 14 March 1892 Jorge Montt
  Luis Barros Borgoño 14 March 1892 9 July 1892
Luis Arteaga 9 July 1892 22 September 1892
  Francisco Antonio Pinto Cruz 22 September 1892 22 April 1893
Isidoro Errázuriz 22 April 1893 8 August 1893
Manuel Villamil Blanco 8 August 1893 6 October 1893
Juan Antonio Orrego 6 October 1893 26 April 1894
Santiago Aldunate Bascuñan 26 April 1894 7 December 1894
Carlos Rivera Jofré 7 December 1894 1 August 1895
  Ismael Valdés Valdés 1 August 1895 24 November 1895
  Luis Barros Borgoño 24 November 1895 18 September 1896
  Manuel Bulnes Pinto 18 September 1896 26 November 1896 Federico Errázuriz Echaurren
  Elías Fernández Albano 26 November 1896 26 June 1897
Benjamín Vergara 26 June 1897 25 August 1897
Carlos Palacios Zapata 25 August 1897 23 December 1897
Patricio Larraín Alcalde 23 December 1897 5 May 1898
  Ventura Blanco Viel 5 May 1898 19 December 1898
  Carlos Concha Subercaseaux 19 December 1898 27 June 1899
  Javier Angel Figueroa Larraín 27 June 1899 2 September 1899
  Carlos Concha Subercaseaux 2 September 1899 27 November 1899
Ricardo Matte Pérez 27 November 1899 3 November 1900
  Arturo Besa Navarro 3 November 1900 14 March 1901
Vicente Palacios Baeza 14 March 1901 1 May 1901
Wenceslao Bulnes 1 May 1901 18 September 1901
  Beltrán Mathieu Andrews 18 September 1901 6 May 1902 Germán Riesco
Víctor Manuel Lamas 6 May 1902 20 November 1902
Francisco Baeza 20 November 1902 4 April 1903
Ricardo Matte Pérez 4 April 1903 1 September 1903
Carlos Besa Navarro 1 September 1903 23 October 1903
Luis Barros Méndez 23 October 1903 10 January 1904
  Aníbal Cruz Díaz 10 January 1904 12 March 1904
  Ascanio Bascuñan Santa María 12 March 1904 12 April 1904
Joaquín Muñoz Hurtado 12 April 1904 30 October 1904
  Ascanio Bascuñan Santa María 30 October 1904 18 March 1905
Ramón Corvalán Melgarejo 18 March 1905 1 August 1905
  Luis Uribe Orrego 1 August 1905 21 October 1905
Manuel Fóster Recabarren 21 October 1905 19 March 1906
Manuel Covarrubias 19 March 1906 7 May 1906
Salvador Vergara 7 May 1906 18 September 1906
Belisario Prats Bello 18 September 1906 29 October 1906 Pedro Montt
José Francisco Fabres 29 October 1906 12 June 1907
Alejandro Lira 12 June 1907 25 October 1907
Belisario Prats Bello 25 October 1907 29 August 1908
  Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera 29 August 1908 22 January 1909
  Darío Zañartu del Río 22 January 1909 15 June 1909
Roberto Huneeus Gana 15 June 1909 15 September 1909
  Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera 15 September 1909 25 June 1910
Carlos Larraín Claro 25 June 1910 23 December 1910
Arístides Pinto Concha 23 December 1910 11 January 1911 Ramón Barros Luco
Ramón León Luco 11 January 1911 11 July 1911
  Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera 11 July 1911 15 August 1911
  Alejandro Huneeus García-Huidobro 15 August 1911 23 January 1912
Alejandro Rosselot 23 January 1912 29 May 1912
Luis Devoto 29 May 1912 8 August 1912
Claudio Vicuña Subercaseaux 8 August 1912 13 January 1913
  Jorge Matte Gormaz 13 January 1913 16 November 1913
Ramón Corvalán Melgarejo 16 November 1913 6 September 1914
Alfredo Barros Errázuriz [es] 6 September 1914 15 December 1914
Ricardo Cox Méndez 15 December 1914 7 June 1915
Guillermo Soublette 7 June 1915 23 December 1915
Salvador Vergara 23 December 1915 8 January 1916 Juan Luis Sanfuentes
  Cornelio Saavedra Montt 8 January 1916 1 July 1916
  Jorge Boonen Rivera 1 July 1916 20 November 1916
Oscar Urzúa Jaramillo 20 November 1916 14 July 1917
Pedro Nicolás Montenegro 14 July 1917 13 October 1917
Oscar Viel Cavero 13 October 1917 18 January 1918
Luis Vicuña Cifuentes 18 January 1918 22 April 1918
Jorge Valdivieso Blanco 22 April 1918 6 September 1918
Víctor Robles 6 September 1918 28 November 1918
  Enrique Bermúdez de la Paz 28 November 1918 23 September 1919
  Aníbal Rodríguez Herrera 23 September 1919 8 November 1919
Germán Ignacio Riesco Errázuriz 8 November 1919 29 March 1920
Régulo Valenzuela 29 March 1920 16 June 1920
  Pedro Opazo Letelier 16 June 1920 1 July 1920
  Ladislao Errázuriz Lazcano 1 July 1920 23 December 1920
Carlos Silva Cruz 23 December 1920 12 May 1921 Arturo Alessandri
Enrique Balmaceda Toro 12 May 1921 16 August 1921
Remigio Medina 16 August 1921 3 November 1921
Samuel Claro Lastarria 3 November 1921 22 March 1922
Ignacio Marchant Scott 22 March 1922 1 April 1922
Roberto Sánchez García de la Huerta 1 April 1922 29 August 1922
Hernán Correa Roberts 29 August 1922 21 December 1922
José Onofre Bunster Villagra 21 December 1922 12 January 1923
Gustavo Silva Campo 12 January 1923 16 March 1923
Jorge Andrés Guerra Álvarez de Toledo 16 March 1923 15 June 1923
  Luis Altamirano Talavera 15 June 1923 4 January 1924
Alfredo Ewing 4 January 1924 1 February 1924
Luis Brieba 1 February 1924 22 July 1924
Luis Gaspar Mora Sotomayor 22 July 1924 5 September 1924
  Juan Pablo Bennett Argandoña 5 September 1924 11 September 1924
  Luis Gómez Carreño 12 September 1924 19 December 1924 September Junta

Ministers of War

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
Emiliano Ortiz Vega 19 December 1924 23 January 1925 September Junta
  Carlos Ibáñez del Campo 29 January 1925 22 February 1927 January Junta
Emiliano Ortiz Vega 22 February 1927 23 May 1927 Emiliano Figueroa
Carlos Frödden Lorenzen 23 May 1927 21 June 1927 Minister of National Defense Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
  Bartolomé Blanche Espejo 21 June 1927 7 November 1930
  Pedro Charpin Rival 7 November 1930 26 July 1931
Carlos Sáez Morales 26 July 1931 14 August 1931 Appointed by Pedro Opazo
Reappointed by Juan Esteban Montero
Enrique Bravo Ortiz 14 August 1931 3 September 1931
Carlos Vergara Montero 3 September 1931 5 March 1932 Manuel Trucco

Ministers of Navy

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
  Luis Gómez Carreño 19 December 1924 23 January 1925 September Junta
Braulio Bahamonde 29 January 1925 23 December 1925 January Junta
Arturo Swett Otaegui 23 December 1925 22 February 1927 Emiliano Figueroa
Carlos Frödden Lorenzen 22 February 1927 23 May 1927
23 May 1927 21 June 1927 Minister of National Defense Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
21 June 1927 5 August 1930
Edgardo von Schröeders Sarratea 5 August 1930 27 April 1931
Hipólito Marchant Morales 27 April 1931 26 July 1931
Calisto Rogers Ceas 26 July 1931 3 September 1931 Appointed by Pedro Opazo
Reappointed by Juan Esteban Montero
Enrique Spoerer Jardel 3 September 1931 5 March 1932 Manuel Trucco

Ministers of National Defense (First Creation)

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
Miguel Urrutia Barboza 9 March 1932 7 April 1932 Juan Esteban Montero
Ignacio Urrutia Manzano 7 April 1932 4 June 1932
  Marmaduque Grove Vallejo 5 June 1932 17 June 1932 Socialist Junta
  Arturo Puga Osorio 17 June 1932 8 July 1932

Ministers of War and Aviation

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
Pedro Lagos Lagos 8 July 1932 14 September 1932 Carlos Dávila
Luis Otero Mujica 14 September 1932 3 October 1932 Bartolomé Blanche
Carlos Sáez Morales 3 October 1932 24 December 1932 Abraham Oyanedel

Ministers of Navy

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
Francisco Nieto 8 July 1932 12 August 1932 Carlos Dávila
Alberto Barbosa Baeza 12 August 1932 13 August 1932
José Manuel Montalva Barrientos 13 August 1932 3 October 1932
Arturo Swett Otaegui 3 October 1932 24 December 1932 Abraham Oyanedel

Ministers of National Defense (Second Creation, 1932–1990)

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Notes Appointed by
  Emilio Bello Codecido 24 December 1932 9 April 1938 Arturo Alessandri
Francisco Garcés Gana 9 April 1938 25 September 1938 Interim
  Emilio Bello Codecido 25 September 1938 24 December 1938
Alberto Cabero Díaz 24 December 1938 13 April 1939 Pedro Aguirre Cerda
Guillermo Labarca Hubertson 13 April 1939 26 December 1939
  Alfredo Duhalde Vásquez 26 December 1939 24 October 1940
Juvenal Hernández Jaque 24 October 1940 10 June 1941
Carlos Valdovinos Valdovinos 10 June 1941 21 November 1941
Juvenal Hernández Jaque 21 November 1941 2 April 1942 Jerónimo Méndez
  Alfredo Duhalde Vásquez 2 April 1942 1944 Juan Antonio Ríos
Oscar Escudero Otarola 1944 1945
Arnaldo Carrasco 1945 1946
Manuel Bulnes Sanfuentes 1946 April 1947 Gabriel González Videla
Juvenal Hernández Jaque April 1947 August 1947
  Guillermo Barrios Tirado August 1947 3 November 1952
Abdón Parra 3 November 1952 1954 Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
Tobías Barros Ortiz 1954 1955
Benjamín Videla 1955 1955
Francisco O'Ryan Orrego 1955 1957
Adrián Barrientos 1957 3 November 1958
Luis Vidal Vargas 3 November 1958 1958 Jorge Alessandri
Carlos Vial Infante 1958 1961
Joaquín Fernández y Fernández 1961 1961
Julio Pereira 1961 1963
Carlos Vial Infante 1963 3 November 1964
Juan De Dios Carmona 3 November 1964 1969 Eduardo Frei Montalva
Tulio Marambio 1969 1970
Sergio Ossa Pretot 1970 3 November 1970
Alejandro Ríos Valdivia 3 November 1970 7 January 1972 Salvador Allende
José Tohá González 7 January 1972 5 July 1973
  Clodomiro Almeyda Medina 5 July 1973 9 August 1973
  Carlos Prats González 9 August 1973 23 August 1973
  Orlando Letelier Del Solar 28 August 1973 11 September 1973
  Patricio Carvajal Prado 11 September 1973 1974 Augusto Pinochet
Oscar Bonilla Bradánovich 1974 1975
Hermán Brady Roche 1975 1978
  César Raúl Benavides 1978 1980
Carlos Forestier Hansen 1980 1982
Washington Carrasco Fernández 1982 1983
  Patricio Carvajal Prado 1983 11 March 1990

Ministers of National Defense (1990–present)

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Picture Name Entered Office Exited Office Party Appointed by
Patricio Rojas Saavedra 11 March 1990 11 March 1994 DC Patricio Aylwin
  Edmundo Pérez Yoma 11 March 1994 1998 DC Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
  José Florencio Guzmán 1998 1998 DC
  Raúl Troncoso Castillo 1998 1999 DC
  Edmundo Pérez Yoma 1999 11 March 2000 DC
  Mario Fernández Baeza 11 March 2000 7 January 2002 DC Ricardo Lagos
  Michelle Bachelet Jeria 7 January 2002 1 October 2004 PS
  Jaime Ravinet De La Fuente 1 October 2004 11 March 2006 DC
  Vivianne Blanlot Soza 11 March 2006 27 March 2007 PPD Michelle Bachelet
  José Goñi 27 March 2007 12 March 2009 PPD
  Francisco Vidal Salinas 12 March 2009 11 March 2010 PPD
  Jaime Ravinet de la Fuente 11 March 2010 14 January 2011 Ind. Sebastián Piñera
  Andrés Allamand Zavala 16 January 2011 5 November 2012 RN
  Rodrigo Hinzpeter Kirgberg 5 November 2012 11 March 2014 RN
  Jorge Burgos Varela 11 March 2014 11 May 2015 DC Michelle Bachelet
  José Antonio Gómez Urrutia 11 May 2015 11 March 2018 PR
  Alberto Espina Otero 11 March 2018 28 July 2020 RN Sebastián Piñera
  Mario Desbordes Jiménez 28 July 2020 18 December 2020 RN
  Baldo Prokurica 18 December 2020 11 March 2022 RN
  Maya Fernández 11 March 2022 Incumbent PS Gabriel Boric

See also

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References

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  • 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)
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