Marigen Hornkohl

Marigen Ariadna Julia Hornkohl Venegas (born 25 September 1953) is a Chilean social worker and politician who served as minister during the first government of Michelle Bachelet (2006–2010).

She has a Master of Arts in History at the Heidelberg University.

She served as Minister of Education during Ricardo Lagos' government, and later as Minister of Agriculture during the first administration of President Michelle Bachelet. She also served as Chilean ambassador to Germany.

Biography She completed her secondary education at the Liceo A-1 Javiera Carrera. She qualified as a social worker at the University of Chile and subsequently pursued graduate studies in history at the Heidelberg University, Germany.

During the administration of Patricio Aylwin, she served as Head of Public Relations and a member of the senior management team of the National Women's Service (SERNAM). During the administration of Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, she worked as chief of staff and communications adviser (1995–1999) to Minister of Justice Soledad Alvear.

After Alvear withdrew from the Concertación presidential primary race, Hornkohl ran for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies representing the communes of La Reina and Peñalolén in the 2005 Chilean parliamentary election, finishing third with 18.04% of the vote.

Between 2006 and early 2008, she served as Chilean ambassador to Germany.

As one of the closest collaborators of Soledad Alvear, she was appointed Minister of Agriculture on 8 January 2008, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Her appointment was widely interpreted as a gesture by the government toward the then-president of the Christian Democratic Party during a period of internal tensions caused by the expulsion of Senator Adolfo Zaldívar.

During the second administration of Michelle Bachelet, she was appointed Executive Director of the National Television Council (CNTV) for the 2014–2022 term.

Since 2023, she has served as rector of the Miguel de Cervantes University.