• Born in Santiago, Chile, on 21 April 1945.
• Married to María Angélica Morales.
• Three children: Magdalena, Mariano and Cristóbal

Higher Education

• Law Degree from from “Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de la Universidad Católica de Santiago”, Chile (1965-1970)

• Major field of study: Political Sociology at Bonn University, Germany.

Professional Experience

• 1967-1974: Member of the Chilean Foreign Service

• 1971-1974:Third Secretary, Embassy of Chile in Germany

• 1974-1982: Exiled in Bonn, Germany.

• Editor of “Development and Cooperation Magazine”.
• Chief Editor of  news agency “IPS-Dritte Welt Nachrichtenagentur”
• Chief Editor of “Handbuch der Entwicklungshilfe” (1974-1976)

• 1982 Returns to Chile.
• 1982-1990:Researcher and member of the executive committee of the Centre of Studies for Development (CED)
• 1990-1992: Ambassador of Chile to the European Community
• 1992-1994:Ambassador of Chile to Italy
• 1994-2000: Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 2000-2002:Ambassador of Chile to Spain.
• 2002-2006: Ambassador of Chile to the United Kingdom

• 1982-1984:Board Member of Fintesa Financial Agency (Banco del Desarrollo).
• 1984-1986:Editorial Board Member of the Chilean magazine “Mensaje”.
• 1986-1988:Editorial Board Member of the Chilean newspaper “Fortín Mapocho”.
• 1986-1989:Editorial Board Member of the Chilean magazine “APSI”.
• 1982-1990:Board Member of “Radio Cooperativa”.
• 1992  Vice-President of the European-Latin American Relations Institute (IRELA) of Madrid, Spain.
• 1992-1993 President of IRELA.
• 1994 Vice-President of the Italo-Latin American Institute (IILA), Rome.
• 1994-1996:Executive Committee Member of the Jacques Maritain Institute, Rome.
• 1996-1998: President of the International Council of  the “Latin-American Centre For Relations with Europe” (CELARE), Santiago.

Member of

• Political Science Association of Chile.
• Académie International du Vin
• Cofradía del Mérito Vitivinícola de Chile.
• Honorary President of the Chilean Association of Sommeliers.

Decorations

• Grand Cross of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, the Holy See, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Spain

• Grand Officer of Croatia, Germany and Sweden