Ricardo Lagos

Lagos, 68, served as president of Chile from 1999 to early 2006. He is an economist and lawyer who dedicated his life to fighting Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship and building democracy in Chile. Lagos’s tenure as president saw him open up Chile’s economy by signing free trade agreements with the United States, European Community, South Korea, China, New Zealand, Singapore and Brunei. He helped reinforce Chile’s social safety net by creating unemployment insurance and mandating that all children receive at least 12 years of education. He also guaranteed payments to Chilean victims of torture.

During his presidency, Lagos dealt with pressure brought by Latin American states over Bolivian claims to access to the sea. Both Venezuela and Argentina sought to exert pressure on Chile to negotiate with Bolivia. His background and accomplishments make him a serious candidate with only his age a potential downside.

Back to the Previous Page