José Pérez Arriagada

José Pérez Arriagada (born 29 December 1940) is a Chilean politician who served as deputy.

He is the mayor of Los Ángeles.

Early life and education Pérez was born on December 29, 1940, in Los Ángeles, Chile. He is the son of Fernando Pérez Álvarez and Laura Arriagada Novoa.

He is married to Edith Larenas and is the father of two children, Lorena and José Luis.

He completed his primary education at the German School of Los Ángeles and his secondary education at the Liceo de Hombres of the same city. He later studied at the University of Concepción, where he earned qualifications as an Agricultural Technician and Forestry Surveyor.

Between 1963 and 1965, he worked at the National Institute for Agricultural Development (INDAP). From 1965 to 1973, he was an employee of the Manufacturing Company of Papers and Cardboards (CMPC). Following the return to democracy in Chile, he was appointed Regional Director of the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) in the Biobío Region in 1990.

Alongside his public service, Pérez engaged in agricultural activities in the Province of Biobío and promoted the founding of the Colegio Concepción, Los Ángeles campus.

Political career Pérez began his political career as a member of the Radical Social Democratic Party (PRSD), where he served as communal and provincial president, vice president at the national level, and national treasurer. He also acted as provincial president of the Democratic Alliance and participated in the Committee for Free Elections and the campaign for the “No” option in the 1988 plebiscite.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Chamber of Deputies in the 1989 and 1993 parliamentary elections for the 47th District of the Biobío Region.

In 1997, he was elected Deputy for the 47th District of the Biobío Region, serving for the 1998–2002 term. He was subsequently re-elected in successive parliamentary elections until 2017.

In August 2021, following the application of Law No. 21,238 of 2020 limiting consecutive re-elections, Pérez registered his candidacy for the Senate representing the Radical Party within the Nuevo Pacto Social coalition, for the 10th Senatorial District of the Biobío Region (2022–2030). In the November 2021 election, he obtained 29,714 votes, corresponding to 5.41% of the validly cast ballots, and was not elected.

In late July 2024, he registered his candidacy for mayor of the Municipality of Los Ángeles representing the Radical Party. In the municipal elections held on October 26 and 27, 2024, he was elected mayor with 39,038 votes, representing 28.79% of the validly cast ballots.