Jaime Quintana

Jaime Quintana
President of the Senate of Chile
In office
12 March 2019 – 17 March 2020
Preceded byCarlos Montes Cisternas
Succeeded byAdriana Muñoz D'Albora
Member of the Senate of Chile
In office
11 March 2018 – 11 March 2026
Preceded byCreation of the Circunscription
Constituency11th Circunscription (Atacama Region)
In office
11 March 2010 – 11 March 2018
Preceded byRoberto Muñoz Barra
Succeeded byDissolution of the District
President of the Party for Democracy
In office
11 June 2012 – 11 June 2016
Preceded byCarolina Tohá
Succeeded byGonzalo Navarrete
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
11 March 2002 – 11 March 2010
Preceded byMiguel Hernández Saffirio
Succeeded byFuad Chahín
Constituency49th District
Personal details
Born (1967-08-22) 22 August 1967
PartySocialist Party
Party for Democracy
(1997–present)
SpouseSusana Aguilera
ChildrenTwo
Parent(s)Daniel Quintana
Blanca Leal
Alma materPontifical Catholic University of Chile
OccupationPolitician

Jaime Daniel Quintana Leal (born 22 October 1967) is a Chilean politician.

He was President of the Senate of Chile.[1][2][3]

Biography

He was born on 22 October 1967 in Lautaro. He is the son of Daniel Quintana Lizama and Blanca Nieves Leal Lizama.[4]

He is married to sociologist Susana Aguilera, former mayor of Vilcún for two terms (2012–2016 and 2017–2021), and is the father of two daughters.[4]

Quintana completed his primary education at Escuela Municipal Manuel Rodríguez and his secondary education at Liceo Pablo Neruda in Temuco. In 1986, he entered the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he studied Literature and obtained a degree in Educational Sciences and the professional title of State Teacher with a specialization in Spanish in 1990.

He later completed five years of Law studies at the Temuco Catholic University. He also attended courses in decentralized public management at the University of La Frontera in Temuco and in budgetary administration at the University of Chile.[4]

Professionally, he worked as a Literature professor at various universities and institutes in the Araucanía Region.[4]

Political career

Quintana began his political activity in the 1980s during his school and university years as a student leader linked to the Socialist Party. He later joined the Party for Democracy (PPD), where he served as a national party leader.[4]

In the 1997 elections, he ran as a candidate for the Chamber of Deputies but was not elected. He subsequently served as Chief of Staff of the Intendancy of the Araucanía Region, repeatedly assuming the duties of Acting Intendant.[4]

In 1999, prior to running for Parliament, he was a member of the Special Commission tasked with analyzing the report of the Commission on Historical Truth and New Deal and the proposals arising from the Mapuche communal dialogues organized by Ministry of Planning (MIDEPLAN) based on the UNDP Human Development Report.[4]

On 13 May 2012, he participated in the internal elections of the Party for Democracy representing the list “Chile mejor desde la izquierda,” which emerged victorious. On 11 June 2012, he formally assumed the presidency of the party’s executive committee, a position he held until 2016.[4]

He ran as a candidate for deputy for the 23rd District of the Araucanía Region in the parliamentary elections held on 16 November 2025, representing the Party for Democracy within the Unidad por Chile coalition. He was not elected, obtaining 18,423 votes, equivalent to 4.30% of the valid votes cast.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Jaime Quintana Leal asumió como nuevo Presidente del Senado". Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  2. ^ "A dos días de dejar la presidencia del Senado, Jaime Quintana propone que Piñera entregue al Congreso parte de sus facultades". El Mostrador. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Presidente del Senado señala que ahora "hay Gobierno" tras discurso de Piñera y su agenda social". Radio Bío-Bío. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jaime Quintana Leal – BCN Profile". Library of the National Congress of Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2026.