Víctor Torres Jeldes

Víctor Marcelo Torres Jeldes (born 11 October 1975) is a Chilean politician and physician, who served as member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile.

From 2022, he serves as Health Superintendent, position where was appointed by President Gabriel Boric.

Early life and education Torres was born in Valparaíso, Chile, on October 11, 1975. He is the son of Víctor Hugo Torres Ruz, a teacher, and María Isabel Jeldes Castro. He is the father of one daughter, Sofía.

He completed his primary education at Colegio Leonardo Murialdo between 1981 and 1992, and later attended Liceo Eduardo de la Barra in Valparaíso. Between 1996 and 2004, he studied Medicine at the University of Valparaíso, graduating as a medical doctor. In 2002, he completed a diploma in Political Studies titled Generación Bicentenario at the Center for Development Studies (CED).

Professional career While still a university student, Torres participated actively in social and volunteer programs. In 1997, he served as a monitor for the Vocación y Justicia program of the Corporación Justicia y Democracia and the National Youth Institute. In January 1998, he coordinated the Medical Area of the FEUV Summer Volunteer Program in Tulahuén, Coquimbo Region, and later that year coordinated the Winter Volunteer Program in Chalaco, Petorca, Valparaíso Region. In January 1999, he held the same responsibility for the Summer Volunteer Program in Fresia, Los Lagos Region.

In January 2004, he worked as a substitute physician at the Polyclinic of the Chamber of Deputies. The following month, he joined the Municipal Corporation of Valparaíso as a substitute physician at Consultorio Mena and as a physician at Consultorio Raúl Silva Henríquez in Cerro Esperanza.

In March 2005, he was hired to work at the Hierro Viejo Rural Health Post and at the Chincolco Rural Health Center in Petorca, Valparaíso Region. At Chincolco, he served as head of the Cardiovascular Program and as medical director of the Municipal Health Department. Concurrently, between December 2004 and February 2005, he served as regional councillor for the Province of Valparaíso in the Valparaíso Regional Government.

Between 2006 and 2007, he was a lecturer in the Department of Public Health at the School of Medicine of the University of Valparaíso. Until January 2007, he worked as physician and director of the Rural Health Department in Petorca.

Political career During his secondary school years, Torres was active in student leadership. In 1994, he served as secretary general of the Federation of Secondary Students of Valparaíso, and in 1995 became its president.

While pursuing higher education, he was elected delegate of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valparaíso in 1997. In 1998, he became president of the Medical School Student Council and national coordinator of the Chilean Association of Medical Students. Between 1998 and 1999, he also served as president of the University of Valparaíso Student Federation.

In 2000, he participated in a seminar for political and student leaders organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany, held in Berlin, Stuttgart, Bonn, and Sankt Augustin.

He joined the Christian Democratic Party on March 1, 1991. In 1998, he led the party’s university branch at the University of Valparaíso. Between 2000 and 2001, he served as zonal coordinator of the Christian Democratic University organization in the coastal area of the Valparaíso Region.

From 2002 to 2004, he was president of the Christian Democratic Youth of the Province of Valparaíso. Concurrently, between 2003 and 2004, he served as regional coordinator, and between 2004 and 2005 as regional secretary general of the Christian Democratic Youth in Valparaíso.

In 2006, he worked on the coordination of the presidential campaign of Michelle Bachelet in the commune of Petorca.

Between January 2007 and December 2008, he served as Governor of the Province of San Antonio during the first administration of President Michelle Bachelet.

In September 2010, he became national vice president of the Christian Democratic Party under the leadership of Ignacio Walker. In January 2017, he ran as a candidate for party president, heading the list titled Una DC para cambiar Chile.

In the parliamentary elections of November 2017, he was elected deputy for the 7th District of the Valparaíso Region, representing the Christian Democratic Party within the Convergencia Democrática coalition. He obtained 14,942 votes, equivalent to 4.64 percent of the validly cast ballots, and served for the 2018–2022 legislative period.

He did not seek re-election in the 2021 parliamentary elections due to the term limits established by Law 21.238 of 2020.

On March 31, 2022, he was appointed Superintendent of Health by President Gabriel Boric.