Miguel Hernández Saffirio

José Miguel Hernández Saffirio (born 18 July 1949) was a Chilean politician who served as deputy and Intendant of the Araucanía Region.

He joined the Christian Democratic Party (DC), serving as communal vice president in Victoria in 1988 and representing the party in the campaign for the “No” option in the plebiscite of 5 October 1988. Between 1989 and 1990, he was communal president of both the DC and the Concertación in Victoria, later becoming provincial president in Malleco and delegate to the party’s National Board. He first married María Verónica Servanti, from whom he later divorced, and subsequently married Maritza Irene Mancilla Agüero. He is the father of three children.

He completed his primary and secondary education at Instituto Victoria in the city of Victoria. He pursued higher education at the University of Chile (Temuco campus), where he obtained the degree of Chemical Laboratory Technician. He later attended courses in business administration and public relations for the tourism sector at the University of Concepción.

Political career He began his political involvement during his university years, serving in 1969 as president of the Student Center of Chemical Laboratory Technicians. The following year, he was student representative to the Normative Council of the University of Chile, Temuco campus. In 1972, he served as course delegate at the School of Economics of the University of Concepción and later, in 1983, became a board member of the student center of that institution.

In Victoria, he held several public and civic positions: president of the Lions Club (1981–1982), president of the Sociedad Pro-Adelanto de Victoria (1984–1985), president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and vice president of Club Deportes Victoria (1985–1986). In 1989, he was general director of the 39th District Convention of Lions Clubs, and between 1990 and 1991 chaired the Victoria–Lautaro–Traiguén Irrigation Committee.

In 1993, he was elected deputy for District No. 49 (Victoria, Curacautín, Lonquimay, Melipeuco, Vilcún, Lautaro, Perquenco and Galvarino), IX Region of La Araucanía, for the 1994–1998 term. He obtained the highest vote in the district with 19,518 votes (29.74%). In December 1997, he was re-elected for the 1998–2002 term, again with the highest vote (20,208 votes, 35.56%). He did not seek re-election thereafter.

In the 2004 municipal elections, he was elected Mayor of Galvarino for the 2004–2008 term and was re-elected for 2008–2012.

On 14 December 2016, he was appointed Intendant of the Araucanía Region by President Michelle Bachelet. He resigned from the position on 20 July 2017.