Camila Vallejo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Camila Vallejo
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Camila Vallejo in 2024
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| Minister General Secretariat of Government | |
| In office 11 March 2022 – 23 December 2024 |
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| President | Gabriel Boric |
| Preceded by | Jaime Bellolio |
| Succeeded by | Aisén Etcheverry |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile | |
| In office 11 March 2018 – 11 March 2022 |
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| Preceded by | District established |
| Constituency | District 12 |
| In office 11 March 2014 – 11 March 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Montes Cisternas |
| Succeeded by | District dissolved |
| Constituency | District 26 of the Santiago Metropolitan Region |
| President of the University of Chile Student Federation | |
| In office 24 November 2010 – 16 November 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Julio Sarmiento |
| Succeeded by | Gabriel Boric |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 April 1988 Santiago, Chile |
| Political party | Communist |
| Spouse | Abel Zicavo |
| Domestic partners | Julio Sarmiento (2011–2016) Abel Zicavo (2016–until their wedding) |
| Children | 1. Adela Sarmiento Vallejo (b. 2013) 2. Rafael Zicavo Vallejo (b. February 2025) |
| Residences | La Florida, Chile |
| Alma mater | University of Chile |
| Profession | Geographer |
Camila Antonia Amaranta Vallejo Dowling (born 28 April 1988) is a Chilean politician and a former student leader. She is currently serving as the Minister General Secretariat of Government since March 11, 2022. This role makes her the official spokesperson for the Chilean government.
Camila Vallejo is a member of the Communist Party of Chile. Before becoming a minister, she represented a part of Santiago in the Chamber of Deputies. She became well-known as the president of the University of Chile Student Federation (FECh). She was also a main spokesperson during the big student protests in Chile from 2011 to 2013. Many people see her as one of the most important communist figures in Chile in the 21st century.
Contents
Camila Vallejo's Life Story
Early Years and Education
Camila Vallejo was born in Santiago, Chile. Her parents, Reinaldo Vallejo and Mariela Dowling, were both members of the Communist Party of Chile. They were also active in the resistance against the military government of Augusto Pinochet.
Camila grew up in the areas of Macul and La Florida. She went to a private school called Colegio Raimapu. In 2006, she started studying geography at the University of Chile. During her time there, she became interested in politics and joined the Chilean Communist Youth in 2007. She finished her geography degree in July 2013.
Becoming a Student Leader
In 2008, Camila Vallejo became a counselor for the FECh. In November 2010, she was elected as its president. She was only the second woman in the student union's 105-year history to hold this important position.
In 2010, Camila and four other students made a video called "Students of the Left." This video highlighted that problems in education showed bigger issues in society. Camila gained a lot of public attention as a main spokesperson and leader of the 2011 student protests. She worked alongside other student leaders like Giorgio Jackson. Because of her high profile, she even received police protection in August 2011 after getting threats. In October 2011, she was elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Youth of Chile.
In December 2011, Camila Vallejo ran for re-election as FECh president but was defeated by Gabriel Boric. Interestingly, Boric later appointed her to his government when he became President of Chile in 2022. Even after her term as FECh president ended, Camila continued to speak out in the media to support the student movement and workers' rights.
Serving as a Deputy
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In November 2012, the Communist Party of Chile announced that Camila Vallejo would run for Congress in the 2013 elections. She was elected to represent District 26 of La Florida. She won with more than 43 percent of the votes, which was one of the highest winning percentages in that election.
Camila joined Congress with other former student leaders, including Giorgio Jackson and Gabriel Boric. They were known as the "student bench." These deputies were very active in discussions about new education laws proposed by the government of Michelle Bachelet.
Camila Vallejo became a well-known figure as a deputy. She was re-elected in the 2017 general election. During her time as a deputy, she mainly worked on committees for Education and Gender Equality. She was also a strong supporter of a law to reduce the working hours to 40 hours per week.
For the 2021 presidential election, Camila Vallejo supported Daniel Jadue, who was the Communist Party's choice. She was a spokesperson for his campaign. After Jadue lost the primary election, Camila became one of the leaders supporting Gabriel Boric's campaign for president.
Minister Secretary General of Government
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After Gabriel Boric was elected president, Camila Vallejo was chosen to lead the Ministry General Secretariat of Government. In this role, she is the official spokesperson for President Boric's government. She started this job on March 11, 2022, at the same time President Boric and his other ministers took office.
She supported the "apruebo" (approve) option in the 2022 referendum. This vote was about changing the Chilean constitution to a more modern version. However, the proposal was rejected by voters.
In August 2023, as the government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo met with a group of U.S. Democratic lawmakers visiting Chile. This group included Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Public Recognition
The media has called Camila Vallejo one of the most important and influential communist figures in Chile in the 21st century. She is also seen as a symbolic successor to former deputy Gladys Marín. In August 2011, she was featured on the front page of the German weekly Die Zeit. In December of that year, readers of The Guardian newspaper voted her "Person of the Year" in an online poll.
Time magazine included her in its "100 People Who Mattered" list in December 2011. Newsweek magazine also included her in its "150 Fearless Women" list in March 2012. In 2012, a collection of her writings, titled Podemos Cambiar el Mundo ("We Can Change the World"), was published in Spanish.
In August 2013, the band Desaparecidos released a song called "Te amo Camilla Vallejo." This song celebrated Camila Vallejo's role in the student movement.
Personal Life
In April 2013, Camila Vallejo announced she was expecting her first child with Julio Sarmiento. She gave birth to a daughter on October 6, 2013.
In 2016, Camila confirmed she had separated from Sarmiento. She then began a relationship with musician Abel Zicavo. They later married. In August 2024, she announced her second pregnancy. She gave birth to a son in February 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Camila Vallejo para niños
- Leaders of the 2011 Chilean protests
- 2011 student protests in Chile
- Education in Chile
