Evelyn Matthei
Evelyn Matthei | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Mayor of Providencia | |
| In office 6 December 2016 – 6 December 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Josefa Errázuriz |
| Succeeded by | Jaime Bellolio |
| Minister of Labor and Social Provision | |
| In office 16 January 2011 – 22 July 2013 | |
| President | Sebastián Piñera |
| Preceded by | Camila Merino |
| Succeeded by | Juan Carlos Jobet |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 11 March 1998 – 16 January 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Alberto Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Gonzalo Uriarte |
| Constituency | Coquimbo Region |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 11 March 1990 – 11 March 1998 | |
| Constituency | 23rd district (1990–1994) 15th district (1994–1998) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Evelyn Rose Matthei Fornet 11 November 1953 |
| Party | RN (1987–1993) Independent (1993–1999) UDI (1999–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Alliance (1989–2015) Chile Vamos (2015–present) |
| Spouse | Jorge Desormeaux |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Fernando Matthei (father) Elda Fornet (mother) |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Catholic University of Chile |
| Occupation | Economist • Politician |
| Signature | |
Evelyn Rose Matthei Fornet (born 11 November 1953) is a Chilean politician associated with the Independent Democratic Union (UDI).
Over more than three decades of public service, she has served as Minister of Labor and Social Provision, senator, deputy and mayor. Educated in economics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Matthei began her career as a lecturer before moving into financial regulation and private-sector management. She was first elected to Congress in 1989 and later to the Senate, where she served on committees related to labour, finance and economic policy.
From 2011 to 2013 she served as Minister under Sebastián Piñera, where she was recognised for her direct style and emphasis on institutional accountability. Between 2016 and 2024 she was Mayor of Providencia, focusing on urban management, public safety and administrative transparency.
Ideologically, Matthei describes herself as a pragmatic conservative, supporting market economics and fiscal discipline while maintaining moderate positions on social issues such as gender equality and reproductive rights. Her pragmatic orientation has placed her among the centrist figures of the Chilean right.
In 2025 she was proclaimed presidential candidate by Chile Vamos, presenting her campaign as an appeal to institutional stability and practical governance rather than ideological confrontation.