Leopoldo Sánchez Grunert

Leopoldo Sánchez Grunert (born 20 October 1949) is a Chilean veterinary politician who served as deputy.

Biography He was born on 20 October 1949 in Santiago, Chile. He was the son of Bolívar Sánchez Román and Lidia Grunert Salinas. He was married to Myrtha Sims Ríos.

He completed his primary education at Escuela No. 18 (1956–1961) and his secondary studies at Liceo Abdón Cifuentes No. 12, graduating in 1967. In 1969 he entered the University of Chile, where he qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 1975. He later specialized in agricultural and livestock health.

Between 1976 and 1981 he served as head of the Department of Environment in the Aysén Region (XI Region), after which he engaged in business activities in the same region.

Political career He began his public career in 1990 when he was appointed Regional Ministerial Secretary (SEREMI) of Agriculture for the Aysén Region, serving until 1991. He was subsequently appointed National Director of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), a position he held until 1996.

In 1992 he joined the Party for Democracy (PPD). In 1997 he was appointed Agricultural Attaché of Chile in Argentina.

In the 1997 parliamentary elections he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Chile for District No. 59 (Aysén, Cisnes, Cochrane, Coihaique, Chile Chico, Guaitecas, Lago Verde, O’Higgins, Río Ibáñez, and Tortel) in the Aysén Region, serving from 1998 to 2002. He was re-elected in 2001 for the 2002–2006 term but was not returned to Congress in the 2005 elections.

In February 2007 he was appointed National Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), serving until 21 June 2010.