Lautaro Carmona

Lautaro Carmona Soto (born 26 April 1952) is a Chilean politician and public administrator who has served as President of the Communist Party of Chile (PCCh) since 2023.

A lifelong party member, he rose through its ranks during the Pinochet dictatorship and later served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile for the Atacama Region from 2010 to 2018.

Early life and education Lautaro Carmona Soto was born in Limache, in central Chile's Valparaíso Region. His parents, Ramón Carmona and Yolanda Soto, were both teachers; his father was also a writer and poet. He attended high school in San Miguel, a commune of Santiago, and went on to graduate with a degree in public administration from the University of Chile in 1977. He made another bid for the Chamber of Deputies in the 2021 election under Chile's new electoral districting but was not successful.

Party presidency On 29 August 2023, Lautaro Carmona was elected President of the Communist Party of Chile, succeeding Guillermo Teillier. His election came at a time of significant political realignment in Chile, with the PCCh being a key component of the left-wing coalition that had recently held the presidency under Gabriel Boric.

Personal life Carmona is married to kinesiologist Érika Alert Oliva, with whom he has three children: Andrés, Fernando, and Paz.