Rubén Moraga

Rubén Joaquín Moraga Mamani (born 1 July 1965) is a Chilean politician who served as deputy.

Early life and education Moraga was born on July 1, 1965, in Iquique, Chile. He is the son of Joaquín Segundo Moraga Mareño and Nilda Aurelia Mamani, and descends from a family of Aymara origin.

He is married to Betty Lilian Vallejos Robles, who served as a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Chile for the 2020–2024 term.

He completed his secondary education at Liceo A-7 Bernardo O’Higgins in Iquique, graduating in 1982. He later enrolled at the Universidad Arturo Prat, where he earned a degree in Marine Biology in 1998.

He obtained a master’s degree in Microbiology and, in 2014, earned a PhD in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Microbiology from the University of Antofagasta.

Academic and professional career Since 2010, Moraga has served as an academic and researcher at the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of the Universidad Arturo Prat in Iquique.

Between 2018 and 2019, he held the position of Director General of Research, Innovation, and Graduate Studies at the same university.

His academic work focuses on microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and biotechnology, and he has published several scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals in these fields.

Political career Moraga began his political involvement as a student and university leader. In 1983, he joined the Communist Party of Chile and later served as Secretary General of the party in the Tarapacá Region.

On November 18, 2016, he was appointed by President Michelle Bachelet as Governor of the Tamarugal Province in the Tarapacá Region, a position he held until March 18, 2018.

On December 22, 2020, he was proclaimed a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Chile for the 2020–2024 term, following internal elections held between December 12 and 15 of that year.

On February 5, 2021, in accordance with Article 51 of the Constitution of Chile, the Communist Party designated Moraga to replace Deputy Hugo Gutiérrez Gálvez in the 2nd District of the Tarapacá Region, after Gutiérrez resigned to run for the Constitutional Convention.

In mid-2021, Moraga announced his decision not to seek re-election to the Chamber of Deputies for a new term.

On April 1, 2022, President Gabriel Boric appointed him Regional Ministerial Secretary of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation for the Northern Macrozone, comprising the regions of Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá, Antofagasta, and Atacama.