Gerardo Varela
Gerardo Varela | |
|---|---|
Official portrait (2018) | |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 11 March 2018 – 9 August 2018 | |
| President | Sebastián Piñera |
| Preceded by | Adriana Delpiano |
| Succeeded by | Marcela Cubillos |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 June 1963 |
| Spouse | Elena Barros |
| Children | Four |
| Parent | Esperanza Alfonso (mother) |
| Relatives | Pedro Enrique Alfonso (grandfather) |
| Alma mater | University of Chile (LL.B) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Gerardo Victorino Varela Alfonso (born 15 June 1963) is a Chilean politician and lawyer who served as minister of State in his country.
On his mother's side, Esperanza Alfonso, he is the grandson of Pedro Enrique Alfonso, who served as Minister of State and was a presidential candidate of the Radical Party.[1]
He is panelist at El Líbero alongside Pepe Auth.[2]
Biography
Varela completed his primary and secondary education at Saint George's College in Santiago and later enrolled in the law program at the University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer in 1990 and has since been part of the law firm Cariola, Diez, Pérez-Cotapos & Cía., becoming a partner in 1996.
He is married to Elena Barros and is the father of four children: Elena, Gerardo, Lucas and Sara.[3][4]
Public life
He has served as director of the Fundación para el Progreso, Fundación Emplea of the Hogar de Cristo, EducaUC, and the Observatorio Judicial.[5] In 2010, he assumed the presidency of Soprole.[6]
He was appointed by President Sebastián Piñera as Minister of Education during his second administration, assuming office on 11 March 2018.[7]
On 9 August 2018, it was reported that he would be removed from office, which occurred later that day, being succeeded by Marcela Cubillos.[8][9][10]
This occurred days after the president stated, “We are not going to carry out a cabinet reshuffle over a word more or less,” in reference to controversies surrounding Varela’s statements.[11][12][13]
In 2019, a criminal complaint was filed against five directors of Prolesur, including Varela, alleging the unlawful cancellation of a debt owed by its sister company Soprole.[14]
The complaint was later withdrawn after authorities determined that no criminal offense had occurred.[15] The directors were fully and definitively acquitted on 2 December 2019.[16]
References
- ^ "Reinauguran el busto de Pedro Enrique Alfonso en la Alameda de Ovalle". El Observatodo (in Spanish). 23 April 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Pepe Auth: "El concepto de gobierno de emergencia ya no es retórico, es concreto y real" ― Política para adultos, El Líbero". El Líbero. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ "Los nuevos rostros del Mineduc". Revista de Educación (in Spanish). 12 March 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Declaraciones de GERARDO VICTORINO VARELA ALFONSO". InfoProbidad (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Curriculum express de los ministros nominados por el presidente electo". Indigo Comunicaciones (in Spanish). 24 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
- ^ "Gerardo Varela: las redes empresariales del guardián del liberalismo que llega a Educación". CIPER Chile (in Spanish). 24 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
- ^ "Las "Varelicosas" le pasaron la cuenta: Ministro Varela deja la cartera de Educación". La Tercera. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Gerardo Varela deja el ministerio de Educación y Marcela Cubillos asumirá en su reemplazo". La Tercera (in Spanish). 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Las "Varelicosas" le pasaron la cuenta: Ministro Varela deja la cartera de Educación". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Gerardo Varela deja el ministerio de Educación". Radio Agricultura (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Presidente Piñera: "No vamos a hacer un cambio de gabinete por una palabra más o menos"". La Tercera (in Spanish). 29 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Piñera: "No vamos a hacer un cambio de gabinete por una palabra más o menos"". La Nación (in Spanish). 30 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Piñera blindó a Varela y a Valente: "No vamos a cambiar el gabinete por que haya una palabra más o menos"". CNN Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Campeón de la leche: querellan a Gerardo Varela por "administración desleal" con activos de Prolesur". BioBioChile (in Spanish). 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Fundación Isabel Aninat desiste de querella contra Varela y directores de Prolesur". La Tercera (in Spanish). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ "Caso Prolesur se cierra y jueza dice que "no se vislumbra que haya algún ilícito"". Diario Financiero (in Spanish). 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.