CHILE: BACHELET ANNOUNCES NEW CABINET

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 000428 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2016 TAGS: PGOV TBIO PREL SOCI CI SUBJECT: CHILE: BACHELET ANNOUNCES NEW CABINET UNDERSECRETARIES REF: A. SANTIAGO 00203 ¶B. SANTIAGO 00218 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Emi L. Yamauchi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On March 1, President-elect Michele Bachelet announced the names of the undersecretaries in her new cabinet -- essentially the second tier of the executive branch of the government. Her choices follow the same pattern set by the appointment of cabinet members, combining new faces with experienced public servants. Politically, the list also broadly reflects the balance of Concertacion coalition political parties and gender parity. Unlike the cabinet-level appointments, the undersecretary appointments seem to respond more to the desires of the established political parties. ¶2. (C) The Christian Democratic (DC) Party retained the highest number of slots, 12 of the newly appointed undersecretaries, followed by the Party for Democracy (PPD) with 6 appointments and the Socialist Party (PS) also with 6 appointments. The Radical Social Democratic Party (PRSD) was able to obtain 4 slots, including the appointment of Carlos Maldinado as Undersecretary General of the Government, an important position in the Presidency. There were also 3 independents appointed as undersecretaries. These figures reflect the political forces inside Concertacion and remain basically the same as under the outgoing Lagos Administration. ¶3. (U) The President-elect also stated her intention to name three more undersecretaries as part of the institutional changes outlined in her Government Plan for 2006-2010. The names of the 13 "intendentes" or regional authorities, 51 governors, about 70 ambassadors, heads of governmental agencies, and directors of state-owned companies are expected on March 2. ¶4. (U) The following is a list of the under-secretary appointments: Ministry of Interior Undersecretary of Interior: Felipe Harboe (PPD) Undersecretary of Regional Development: Claudia Serrano (PS) Ministry of Foreign Relations Undersecretary of Foreign Relations: Alberto Van Klaveren (independent but pro PPD) Ministry of National Defense Undersecretary of War: Gonzalo Garc!a (DC) Undersecretary of Navy: Carolina Echeverr!a (PPD) Undersecretary of Aviation: Raul Vergara Meneses (PS) Undersecretary of Carabineros: Marcelo Ort!z (DC) Undersecretary of Police (PICH): Ricardo Navarrete (PRSD) Ministry Secretariat General of the Presidency Undersecretary General of the Presidency: Edgardo Riveros (DC) Ministry Secretariat General of Government Undersecretary General of Government: Carlos Maldonado (PRSD) Undersecretary of Sports: Catalina Depassier (DC) Ministry of Justice Undersecretary of Justice: Veronica Barahona (DC) Ministry of Finance Undersecretary of Finance: Mar!a Olivia Recart (DC) Ministry of Economy and Energy Undersecretary of Economy: Ana Maria Correa (DC) Undersecretary of Fishing: Carlos Hernandez (PS) Executive Secretary of the National Energy Commission: Pablo Serra Banfi (independent) Ministry of Agriculture Undersecretary of Agriculture: Cecilia Leiva (PPD) Ministry of Mining Undersecretary of Mining: Marisol Aravena Puelma (PRSD) Ministry of Planning and Cooperation Undersecretary of Planning and Cooperation: Gonzalo Arenas Valverde (DC) Ministry of Education Undersecretary of Education: Pilar Romaguera (independent but pro PS) Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare Undersecretary of Labor: Zarko Luksic (DC) Undersecretary of Social Welfare: Lisette Garc!a (DC) Ministry of Public Health Undersecretary of Public Health: L!a Amarales (PPD) Undersecretary Health Assistance Networks: Ricardo Fabrega (DC) Women National Service Deputy Director of Women National Service: Carmen Andrade (PS) National Council for the Culture and Arts Undersecretary of Culture: Maria Eliana Arntz (PS) Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Telecommunications Undersecretary of Public Works: Juan Eduardo Saldivia (DC) Undersecretary of Transportation: Danilo Nunez (PS) Undersecretary of Telecommunications: Pablo Bello (PPD) Ministry of Housing and Urbanism Undersecretary of Housing: Paulina Saball (PPD) Ministry of National State Property Undersecretary of National State Properties: Lorraine De Laire Peirano (PRSD) KELLY