Ximena Valcarce

Ximena Verónica Valcarce Becerra (born 25 March 1973) is a Chilean politician who served as deputy from 2006 to 2010.

Biography Valcarce was born in Arica on 25 March 1973. She is the daughter of María Teresa Becerra Jelvez, councillor of Arica (2008–2012), and Carlos Valcarce, who served as rector of the University of Tarapacá (1982–1987), deputy for the 1st Region of Tarapacá (1990–1994 and 1994–1998), and mayor of Arica (2004–2008).

She completed her early education in Arica at Escuela D-6 República de Francia, Junior College, and Colegio San Gabriel. She later studied at Institución Teresiana in Las Condes, Colegio Carlomagno in Santiago, and Chippewa Hills High School in Minnesota, United States. After finishing secondary school, she earned a degree in journalism from the University of Arts, Sciences and Communication (UNIACC).

Professionally, between 1997 and 1998 she worked at Revista Vea. In 1998, she joined the news section of La Estrella de Arica. In 1999, she covered public security issues for the same newspaper, worked as a journalist at Radio Coral, and served as press officer for the Arica office of former senator Julio Lagos Cosgrove until 2001. From 2001 to 2003, she worked as labor relations officer for the Chilean Safety Association (ACHS). In 2004, she worked as a journalist at MS Comunicaciones.

Political career She began her political career as a member of National Renewal (RN), resigning in 2015 and later joining the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) in 2017.

In 2000, she led the party’s youth wing during her father Carlos Valcarce's mayoral campaign in Arica, and in 2004 she served as general campaign manager for his re-election bid. In the parliamentary elections of 11 December 2005, she was elected as deputy for District No. 1 (Tarapacá Region) representing National Renewal, obtaining 16,692 votes (22.47% of the valid votes cast).

On 2 November 2011, effective 1 November of that year, she was appointed Governor of Arica Province by President Sebastián Piñera, serving until 27 July 2012. In the 2012 municipal elections, she ran for mayor of Arica representing National Renewal, obtaining 11,668 votes (23.46% of the valid votes), but was not elected.

In the 2013 RN parliamentary primaries, she was nominated as the party’s candidate for District No. 1 after obtaining 6,911 votes (45.18% of the valid votes). In the parliamentary elections of 17 November 2013, she received 5,496 votes (8.18% of the valid votes) and was not elected.

In 2017, she ran for Regional Councillor of Arica and Parinacota Region, supported by the Independent Democratic Union, for the 2018–2022 term. She was elected with 2,554 votes (3.97% of the valid votes).