Raúl Súnico

Raúl Fernando Súnico Galdames (born 28 July 1964) is a Chilean politician who served as deputy and undersecretary.

Early life and education Súnico was born on 28 July 1964 in Talcahuano, Chile. He is the son of Raúl Súnico Hernández and Luisa Galdames Contreras. He is married to Marcela Viveros Garay and is the father of two children.

He completed his primary education at Escuela México in Talcahuano and his secondary studies at Liceo Industrial de Higueras in the same city. Between 1983 and 1986, he studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Bío-Bío in Concepción.

Later, from 1994 to 1997, he pursued studies in Business Administration Engineering at Instituto Profesional Virgilio Gómez.

Political career During the 1980s, he was active in student and social movements, serving as vice president of the first student federation of the University of Bío-Bío and as a national leader within CONFECH. He also participated in the regional executive secretariat of the No campaign during the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite.

In the early 1990s, he worked as an adviser to regional authorities in the Biobío Region, including as an adviser to the regional intendant and in administrative roles related to regional development and public programs. He later joined the Socialist Party of Chile, where he served in leadership roles, including membership on the party’s Political Commission.

In December 2005, he was elected as a deputy for District No. 43 (Talcahuano) in the Biobío Region, representing the Socialist Party of Chile for the 2006–2010 legislative term, obtaining 29,833 votes (27.25%). He was not re-elected in 2009 and was unsuccessful in a subsequent candidacy in 2013.

On 28 January 2014, President-elect Michelle Bachelet announced his appointment as Undersecretary of Fisheries. He served in that position from 11 March 2014 until 23 January 2017.