Joaquín Lavín

Joaquín Lavín
Minister of Education of Chile
In office March 11, 2010 – July 18, 2011
President	Sebastián Piñera
Preceded by	Mónica Jiménez
Succeeded by	Felipe Bulnes
Mayor of Santiago
In office December 6, 2000 – December 6, 2004
Preceded by	Jaime Ravinet
Succeeded by	Raúl Alcaíno
Mayor of Las Condes
In office September 26, 1992 – June 11, 1999
Preceded by	Eduardo Jara
Succeeded by	Carlos Larraín
Personal details
Born	October 23, 1953 (1953-10-23) Santiago, Chile
Nationality	Chilean
Political party	Independent Democratic Union
Spouse(s)	María Estela León
Children	María Estela, Joaquín, Asunción, Paulina, Juan Pablo, María Jesús, José Tomás y Lautaro
Alma mater	Universidad Católica de Chile University of Chicago
Occupation	Economist
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Ministry of Education of Chile

Joaquín José Lavín Infante (born 23 October 1953) is a Chilean politician and economist. He is a member of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party and former mayor of Santiago and Las Condes municipalities of capital Santiago. He ran for president twice in 1999 and 2005, losing both times.

Lavín was born in Santiago and earned a master's degree in economics from the University of Chicago. He wrote a book, Una revolución silenciosa ("A Quiet Revolution"), in support of General Augusto Pinochet's economic policies. He was also political editor of the conservative Chilean daily El Mercurio. Afterwards, in 1992, Lavín was elected mayor of Las Condes, a stronghold of the right, with 31% of the vote and reelected in 1997 with 78% of the vote.

Lavín was the presidential candidate for the UDI-National Renewal coalition Alliance for Chile in the 1999 election. He eventually lost to PS/PPD candidate Ricardo Lagos in a runoff by 200,000 votes. Lavín again represented UDI in the 2005 presidential election, but ended in third place with 23.23% of the vote, due the presence of another right-wing candidate in the race, Sebastián Piñera, who made it to the runoff election with 25.41% of the vote.

Lavín is a devout Roman Catholic and also a supernumerary member of the Prealature of Opus Dei.

Lavín was narrowly defeated in his bid for a Senate seat in the general election held in December 2009, but on 10 February 2010, President-elect Sebastián Piñera named him Secretary of Education.[1]

External links

Media related to Joaquín Lavín at Wikimedia Commons

• Joaquín Lavín - Senador Quinta Costa