Sergio Bitar

Sergio Bitar Chacra (born 30 December 1940) is a Chilean economist and politician who served as minister during the governments of Salvador Allende (1970−1973) and Michelle Bachelet (2006–2010).

Civil engineer, economist, and politician of the Party for Democracy. He served as Senator for the 1st Senatorial Constituency, Tarapacá Region, between 1994 and 2002. He was Minister of Mining from 27 March 1973 to 5 July 1973 during the government of President Salvador Allende.

He later served as Minister of Education between 3 March 2003 and 14 December 2005 under President Ricardo Lagos, and as Minister of Public Works from 11 January 2008 to 11 March 2010 during the government of President Michelle Bachelet. He was President of the Party for Democracy for three terms: 1992–1994; 1997–2000; and 2006–2008.

Biography Family and youth He was born on 30 December 1940 in Santiago, Chile. He is the eldest of four siblings: Lorenzo, Virginia Isabel, and Carlos.

Professional career He completed his primary education at Andrew Carnegie College and his secondary education at the Instituto Nacional, both in Santiago. He later entered the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile, graduating as a Civil Engineer in 1963. Due to his outstanding academic performance, in 1965 he received the “Marcos Orrego Puelma” award from the Institute of Engineers, granted to the best student. He served as vice president of the opposition newspaper Fortín Mapocho until 1987. He was also elected director of manufacturing and real estate companies and served as president of the Latin American Center for Economy and International Politics (CLEPI) for eight years until 1993.

He became involved in the board of the Paz Ciudadana Foundation and the editorial councils of publications such as Cono Sur, Apsi, and Mensaje. He also played a key role in the formation of the Party for Democracy.

Democratic era Between 1988 and 1989, he consolidated his political career by serving as coordinator of the Program Commission of the Party for Democracy and presiding over the party's parliamentary campaign in 1989. In 1990, he became vice president and Secretary General of the party (1990–1992), and later served three terms as President of the Party for Democracy: 1992–1994; 1997–2000; and 2006–2008. He presided over the party during the presidential campaign of Ricardo Lagos.

In the parliamentary elections of 11 December 1993, he was elected Senator for the 1st Senatorial Constituency, Tarapacá Region, for the 1994–2002 term, obtaining the highest vote with 63,810 ballots, representing 39.44% of the valid votes. At the end of his term, he did not seek re-election and was replaced by Fernando Flores.

Between 3 March 2003 and 14 December 2005, he served as Minister of Education under President Ricardo Lagos. As minister, he participated in the APEC Innovation in Education Forum held in Beijing on 12 January 2004.

On 11 January 2008, President Michelle Bachelet appointed him Minister of Public Works, a position he held until 11 March 2010.

In 2015, he was appointed representative of the President of the Republic to the University Council of the University of Chile, a role he held until December 2018. He has also served on governing councils of the University of Santiago, Chile, Universidad Mayor, and the Temuco Catholic University.

In 2023, he ran as a candidate for the Constitutional Council representing the Party for Democracy on the Todo por Chile list in the Tarapacá Region, but was not elected, obtaining 4.99% of the vote.