Andrés Zaldívar

In 1959 Zaldívar graduated from the Universidad de Chile, having written the thesis Rental Laws, Commentaries and Jurisprudence.

In 1957 he joined the Christian Democrat Party, and served as Juvenile President for Santiago's Third District.

Zaldívar practiced law in the Municipality of Colina from 1959 to 1962, then became magistrate of the local police of La Cisterna.

However, after the Chilean coup of 1973, Congress was dissolved on September 21 and Zaldívar went into exile with his family in Spain.

In 2005, Zaldívar ran for the third consecutive time for the Senate seat of West Santiago at the Chilean parliamentary election of December 11, facing the Deputy Guido Girardi (PPD) (his coalition partner on the list), the Senator Jovino Novoa (UDI), and the businessman Roberto Fantuzzi (Independent); the latter two members of the Alliance for Chile coalition.

Despite a strong campaign, Zaldívar did not retain his seat in the senate, although he exceeded the top candidate of his opponents' list, since the Democratic Coalition's votes did not double that of the Alliance for Chile, fellow Democratic Coalition member Guido Girardi was elected and Alliance for Chile member, the founder and president of Independent Democrat Union, Jovino Novoa was reelected.

However, in later days, Zaldívar became a leader and chief strategist of Michelle Bachelet's presidential campaign.

After the victory of the socialist candidate Bachelet, Zaldívar was appointed as her Minister of the Interior.