Sebastián Piñera Biography

Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (December 1, 1949 – February 6, 2024) was a politician, entrepreneur, and engineer, born in Santiago, Chile. He was renowned for serving as the President of Chile for two terms, from 2010 to 2014 and from 2018 to 2022.

 

Early years

Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique, also known simply as Sebastián Piñera, was a Chilean politician, entrepreneur, and engineer hailing from an affluent family. He is the third child of the marriage between the politician José Piñera Carvallo, who served as Chile’s ambassador during the presidential term of Eduardo Frei Montalva, and Magdalena Echenique Rozas, a descendant of several notable political figures in Chilean history, including the patriot Juan Martínez de Rozas and President Francisco Antonio Pinto.

Following Sebastián’s birth, the family lived in Santiago for a year until José Piñera was appointed as the ambassador to Belgium, prompting them to move to Brussels. Later, the family relocated to New York due to José’s position in the Corporation for the Promotion of Production.

By 1955, the family returned to Santiago, where Sebastián Piñera enrolled in the Colegio del Verbo Divino, graduating in 1967. With this achievement, he pursued a degree in Business Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, graduating in 1971 as the top graduate of the Faculty of Economics. Two years later, he commenced his master’s and doctoral studies at Harvard University, obtaining both degrees in 1975.

 

Beginnings and Career

In his early years, Sebastián Piñera’s trajectory intertwined with a series of events that shaped the course of his career, from his initial steps as an economic advisor to his foray into politics. Shortly after receiving financial support from Richard Musgrave, who paid him fifty thousand dollars to advise on Bolivia’s national accounts, Piñera directed that capital to establish the construction company Toltén. This marked the beginning of a remarkable career that led him to serve as a consultant for the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank between 1974 and 1976. Subsequently, he held positions as an economist at the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) and as a professor of Economics at various universities, including the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the Adolfo Ibáñez University, and the University of Chile.

Despite his various commitments, Piñera never abandoned the real estate business, dedicating a significant portion of his fortune to this sector. However, he faced challenges, such as the attempt to establish a tourist development in Zapallar, which was resisted by the local community, and the controversial purchase of land in the Tantauco Park, denounced as encroachment by the Huilliche community.

In the banking sector, Piñera became involved with Banco de Talca in 1979, swiftly ascending to the position of general manager by 1980. However, in 1982, he found himself entangled in a fraud scandal alongside Emiliano Figueroa and the bank’s president, Carlos Massad. Despite the controversies and evading the law, the Supreme Court closed the case in 1982, giving rise to speculations about potential political pressures during that time.

Transitioning to his political career, Piñera initially served as the campaign manager for Hernán Büchi, the right-wing candidate, following the failed plebiscite for the reelection of Augusto Pinochet in 1988. Despite Büchi temporarily withdrawing from the campaign, Piñera continued his political journey by being elected as an independent senator in 1990. However, he faced obstacles in his presidential aspirations in 1993 due to controversies such as the Chispas Case and the Piñeragate.

In 2009, Piñera formed the Coalition for Change with Fernando Flores, securing the presidency with 51.61% in the runoff against Eduardo Frei. During his tenure, he faced challenges such as the 2010 earthquake, resulting tsunamis, territorial claims from Peru and Bolivia, and criticisms of his administration. Despite this, he managed to reduce unemployment, maintain strong foreign relations, and strengthen the economy.

After his term ended in May 2014, Sebastián Piñera founded the Avanza Chile Foundation in opposition to the Bachelet government. In March 2017, at an event held in Santiago’s Quinta Normal and attended by representatives of Renovación Nacional, the UDI, and the Regionalist Independent Party (PRI), Piñera launched his presidential candidacy for the 2018-2022 term.

For the primary elections on July 2 of that same year, Sebastián Piñera defeated Manuel José Ossandón and Felipe Kast, garnering a total of 828,397 votes, which amounted to 58.35% of the total valid votes. He was nominated as the presidential candidate for the Chile Vamos party. On November 19, 2017, during the presidential elections in Chile, Piñera secured 2,418,540 votes, representing 36.64% of the total valid votes. This allowed him to advance to the runoff alongside the candidate of the New Majority, Alejandro Guillier, who achieved 22.70% of the votes. Almost a month later, in the runoff election, Sebastián Piñera was elected President of Chile for the 2018-2022 term with 3,796,918 votes.

 

Personal life

Sebastián Piñera was married to Cecilia Morel Montes

, and together they had four children: Magdalena, Cecilia, Sebastián, and Cristóbal. His family life played a significant role in his public image, and he emphasized the importance of family values in his life.

 

Death

On February 6, 2024, a tragic incident occurred while Sebastián Piñera, accompanied by his sister Magdalena, Ignacio Guerrero, and his son Bautista Guerrero, was en route to a lunch at José Cox’s residence in Ilihue, Lago Ranco commune. After the meeting, during the helicopter return, the aircraft experienced technical issues and crashed into Lake Ranco.

The accident took place 400 meters from José Cox’s house, who, upon learning of the incident, rushed to the scene on his boat, seeking to provide immediate assistance.

“You all jump first, because if I jump with you, the helicopter will come down on top of us all” – Last words of Sebastián Piñera.

Initial reports indicated the possibility of one fatality and three survivors. Subsequently, after the intervention of the carabineros in the rescue operation, the tragic news of the loss of the former Chilean president, Sebastián Piñera, was confirmed. His body was found without the seatbelt, at a depth of 28 meters, next to the crashed helicopter.

Following the autopsy, it was revealed that the cause of death was drowning. Upon the confirmation of his passing, President Gabriel Boric declared a national mourning period of three days.