Gabriel Ascencio

Gabriel Héctor Ascencio Mansilla (born 8 July 1953) is a Chilean politician and lawyer who served as deputy of his country.

In 2021, he announced his retirement of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile.

Due to his father’s military career as a senior non-commissioned officer in the Chilean Army, he completed his primary and secondary education in various schools throughout Chile, including Liceo Nº10 of Santiago and Colegio San Luis of Antofagasta. After finishing secondary school, he studied Political and Administrative Sciences and later entered the University of Chile Faculty of Law, where he obtained his law degree.

Professional career Ascencio was a member of the Vicariate of Solidarity. In 1985, he settled in Chiloé as coordinator of the Human Rights Department of the Diocese of Ancud. In the early 1990s, together with other partners, he co-founded the Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo de Chiloé (Center for the Development of Chiloé).

Political career He began his political career in 1968 by joining the Christian Democratic Youth of Chile (JDC).

In March 1990, President Patricio Aylwin appointed him Governor of Chiloé Province, a position he held until December 1992.

In the November 2013 parliamentary elections, he ran as a candidate for the Senate of Chile for the 17th senatorial constituency of the Los Lagos Region, but was not elected.

In April 2014, President Michelle Bachelet appointed him Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Chile to Ecuador. He resigned from this position on 20 July 2017.

In January 2024, he was appointed Minister of the Electoral Qualification Court of Chile (Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones).