Sebastián Vergara Tapia

Sebastián Vergara Tapia (born 1 March 1983) is a Chilean geographer and politician. From 2023 to 2026, he served as Undersecretary of National Assets under the government of President Gabriel Boric.

Born in the commune of La Florida in 1983, he completed his primary education at London College and finished his secondary education at the Barros Borgoño High School. He entered the University of Chile in 2000, obtaining a bachelor's degree in geography and later earning his professional degree in 2005.

In 2010, he obtained a Master's degree in Management and Promotion of Local Development from Jaume I University.

Political career His first involvement in politics took place in 1999, when he assumed the vice-presidency of the student council at the Manuel Barros Borgoño High School. In 2000, he joined the Party for Democracy (PPD) and was later elected president of the party's youth wing (JPPD) from 2011 to 2012.

From April 2007 to September 2008, he served as head of planning at the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications under the administration of Pablo Bello during the first government of Michelle Bachelet. He subsequently assumed the position of regional environmental development coordinator at the Metropolitan Region Intendancy during the administration of Claudio Orrego.

In 2012, he was selected as one of the “100 Young Leaders” by Sábado, the magazine of El Mercurio. The publication noted that “his achievements span ecology, civic education and politics”.

Following this experience, between 2012 and 2014 he served as Director of Community Development at the municipality of Conchalí under the administration of Carlos Sottolichio. He then served as Metropolitan Regional Director of the National Sports Institute (IND) between 2014 and 2015.

In 2015, he assumed the role of chief of staff to then Metropolitan Intendant Claudio Orrego. Subsequently, during the second government of Bachelet, he was appointed chief of staff to Andrés Gómez-Lobo at the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, serving from 2016 to 2018.

In 2018, he was elected secretary general of the Party for Democracy (PPD). During this period, he led his party's participation in the “Agreement for Social Peace and a New Constitution”, which enabled the initiation of the process that culminated in the 2020 Chilean national plebiscite.

In 2021, he became chief of staff to Mayor Claudia Pizarro in the commune of La Pintana. In 2022, he joined the government of President Gabriel Boric as chief of staff to Fernando Ayala at the Undersecretariat of Defense. Later that same year, in September, he joined the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation as chief of staff to former minister Silvia Díaz Acosta.

On 11 March 2023, he was appointed Undersecretary of National Assets during the second cabinet reshuffle carried out by President Gabriel Boric, replacing Marilén Cabrera, who had served in the position since March 2022.