Jorge Arancibia

Jorge Patricio Arancibia Reyes (born 17 September 1939) is a Chilean retired naval officer, politician, and diplomat.

A former Admiral of the Chilean Navy, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy from 1997 to 2001.

In 1983, he assumed command of the destroyer Ministro Zenteno. Between 1984 and 1985, he served as Naval Attaché at the Chilean Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In 1987, he assumed command of the helicopter destroyer Almirante Cochrane. He also served aboard the cruiser O’Higgins, the barge Aspirante Morel, the transport ship Presidente Pinto, the missile destroyer Almirante Riveros, and the training ship Esmeralda.

In 1989, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and became Deputy Chief of the Navy’s General Staff. In 1992, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the First Naval Zone. In 1993, he was promoted to Vice Admiral and became Chief of the National Defense Staff.

On 14 November 1997, President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle promoted him to the rank of Admiral and appointed him Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy. He resigned voluntarily from the Navy on 18 June 2001.

Political career Following the 2001 parliamentary elections, Arancibia joined the Independent Democratic Union. In March 2002, he became regional president of the party in the Valparaíso Region and served as head of the UDI Senate caucus until June 2006.

From 2002 to 2010, he served as Senator of the Republic representing the 6th Coastal Circumscription of the Valparaíso Region.

In September 2011, President Sebastián Piñera appointed him Ambassador of Chile to Turkey, a position he held until September 2013.

In the Constitutional Convention elections held on 15–16 May 2021, he was elected as a member of the Constitutional Convention for the 7th District of the Valparaíso Region, running as an independent within the Chile Vamos list with UDI support.