[1][2][3] Trained as an economist, Matthei began her career as a lecturer at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago before moving into management roles in the private sector.

[1] Her father was Minister of Health during Augusto Pinochet’s government; later becoming Commander-in-chief of the Air Force, and in this capacity, a member of the Military Junta until Chile’s return to democracy.

[12] During her secondary education at the German School of Santiago, Matthei developed a passion for music and piano, and upon graduation expressed interest in becoming a concert pianist, obtaining scholarships for her studies.

[4] In 1986, Matthei made the decision to resign from her government position and assumed the role of Vice President of Tourism, Commerce, and Securities at Bancard S.A., where she remained until her election as Deputy four years later.

She appeared in political broadcasting as a representative of RN to discuss better job opportunities for skilled workers through technical training brought on by Pinochet.

[4][20] Within RN, Matthei formed the group known as "the youth patrol", which also included other young figures such as Sebastián Piñera, Andrés Allamand and Alberto Espina.

This group proposed to displace the founding board of the party, chaired since 1987 by Sergio Onofre Jarpa, something they achieved in 1990, when Allamand assumed the presidency of RN, and Matthei the vice-presidency.

They suggested bringing up the topic of divorce to make her feel uncomfortable due to her recognized conservatism and reveal certain contradictions of the candidate.

The judicial investigation of the case, however, clarified that in reality there was no radio amateur involved in the events, but that the tape was delivered by Captain Fernando Diez, an officer of the Electronic Warfare Company of the Telecommunications Regiment No.

[22] Shortly thereafter, she resigned from RN, and moved closer to the bench of deputies of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), although without being a member of that party.

In 1994, she opted to run for Deputy of the 15th Electoral District in Valparaíso, winning the seat as an independent with support from the UDI and the broader Union for the Progress of Chile.

[4] During the period 1994-1998 in the Chamber of Deputies, Matthei was a member of the permanent committees of Labor and Social Security, Economy, Promotion and Development, Science and Technology, Foreign Relations, Latin American Integration and Interparliamentary Affairs.

[4] During this period, it was proven that Matthei and Pinochet's former minister, Francisco Javier Cuadra , participated in the montage of a video that attempted to prove that Juan Carlos Latorre of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and Andrés Allamand Zavala of the RN were involved in drug use.

This continued for years in the fact that Matthei did not later applaud Allamand's nomination as minister of the first government of Sebastián Piñera in 2011, ​or that, apparently, said she did not want to compete against him to have been the candidate of the Alliance for the presidential election of 2013.

During this period she was a member of the Economy, Health, Transport and Telecommunications, Labour and Social Security, Finance, and Special Joint Budget Committees.

[28][29] As Minister, Matthei gained notoriety for her fiery personality and was the center of several heated exchanges with members both of the governing coalition and the opposition.

Her relatively liberal views on abortion, same-sex marriage and tax reform deepened a growing rift with her own party, and in March 2013, she confided that she had decided to quit politics following completion of her term as Minister.

"[39] Though Bachelet almost won in the first round, more limited returns for her coalition in Congress and the record low turnout of the election made the result more of a disappointment.

Matthei is credited with salvaging down-ballot candidates, limiting Bachelet's ability to reform the constitution created by Augusto Pinochet.

[40] In she announced her return to political life and became a fierce opponent of Michelle Bachelet's second government , also being a member of the board of directors of the Avanza Chile Foundation, a center-right think tank .

[43][44] Reflecting on her own political evolution, Matthei declared at the close of her tenure as mayor of Providencia, “less ideology, more pragmatism”, emphasizing the urgent need for unity and practical solutions to national challenges.

The Chilean right, especially in its empowerment of longtime experts, is viewed a technocratic grouping, especially in justifing the technical successes of the Pinochet regime.

[50][51] Matthei believes immigration is an issue of public order and empathy, but has continued to drive a hard line against President Boric.

[52] Matthei’s economic policy is firmly rooted in free‑market principles, developed during her tenure reforming the social security administration of the Pinochet regime.

She advocates for reduced taxation, deregulation, and fiscal discipline as the means to stimulate private enterprise and generate sustainable growth.

[53][20] Matthei's record as Minister of Labor, during which she oversaw improvements in employment rates and economic performance, reinforced her view that a robust market economy is essential to providing opportunities that ultimately support social progress.

Notably, her approach is considered by some observers as more flexible than that of her conservative peers, blending economic conservatism with a pragmatic openness to necessary reforms.

[54][55] A significant aspect of Matthei’s political legacy is her early and unequivocal support for Augusto Pinochet during the 1988 plebiscite—a position largely influenced by her family background, given that her father served in the military junta.

When you are the boss, you show your face, in good times and in bad.This candid evolution is consistent with Matthei's overall political style, which prizes honesty and adaptability over strict ideological adherence.