Timeline
Born in Punta Arenas.
Began studying law at the University of Chile.
Elected president of the University of Chile Student Federation (FECh).
First elected as a member of the Chamber of Deputies.
Co-founded the Social Convergence party.
Signed the "Agreement for Social Peace and the New Constitution."
Won the presidential election.
Took office as President of Chile.
Biography
Gabriel Boric Font, born 11 February 1986 in Punta Arenas, is a Chilean politician who has served as President of Chile since 2022. He previously held two consecutive terms as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2014 to 2022. Boric rose to national prominence as a student leader during the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests, heading the University of Chile Student Federation. He co-founded the Social Convergence party in 2018 and played a key role in brokering the agreement that led to the 2020 constitutional referendum. In December 2021, Boric won the presidential election, becoming the youngest president in Chilean history upon taking office on 11 March 2022. His cabinet was notable as the first in the Americas with a female majority.
Early Life & Background
Gabriel Boric was born in Punta Arenas in 1986. His father's side of the family is Croatian-Chilean, with roots in Ugljan, Croatia, and ancestors who migrated to Chile in 1897. His great-grandfather, Juan Boric, arrived in Punta Arenas around 1885. His father, Luis Boric Scarpa, is a chemical engineer who worked for Empresa Nacional del Petróleo for over 40 years and was a member of the Christian Democratic Party. His mother, María Soledad Font Aguilera, is of Catalan descent. He has two brothers, Simón and Tomás. Several granduncles were also prominent figures, including a bishop, a regional intendant, and two writers.
Education
Boric studied at The British School in his hometown of Punta Arenas. In 2004, he moved to Santiago to attend law school at the University of Chile, completing his coursework in 2009. However, he did not pass his final exam in 2011 and chose not to retake it, thus not obtaining a law degree. He has stated that he never intended to pursue a career as a lawyer, aspiring instead to become a writer. During his university years, he worked as an assistant to Professor José Zalaquett in his human rights course.
Political & Professional Career
Boric's political career began in student activism, re-establishing the Federation of Secondary School Students of Punta Arenas in 1999-2000. At university, he was a member of the Autonomous Left and served as president of the Law School students' union in 2009. In 2011, he was elected president of the University of Chile Student Federation (FECh), becoming a prominent spokesperson during the 2011 student protests. In 2013, he was first elected as an independent member of the Chamber of Deputies for District 60, serving from 2014 to 2022. He co-founded the Autonomist Movement in 2016 and helped launch the Chilean Broad Front in 2017. In 2018, he co-founded the Social Convergence party. During the 2019 civil unrest, he was a vocal critic of the government and signed the "Agreement for Social Peace and the New Constitution." In December 2021, he won the presidential election, taking office on 11 March 2022.
Key Achievements & Legacy
Became the youngest president in Chilean history upon taking office on 11 March 2022., Formed the first cabinet in the Americas with a female majority., Won the 2021 presidential election with 55.9% of the vote., Played a prominent role as a student leader and spokesperson during the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests., Helped broker the "Agreement for Social Peace and the New Constitution" during the 2019 civil unrest.