This is a list of Chileans who are famous or notable.
Economists
Ricardo J. Caballero – MIT professor, Department of Economics Sebastián Edwards – UCLA professor, former World Bank officer (1993–1996), prolific author and media personality Alejandro Foxley – Chile's first Finance Minister after the return of democracy in 1990 and an engineer of the country's economic miracle during democracy; former Foreign Affairs minister, and former Chilean Senator for East kakarackoj Manfred Max Neef – Right Livelihood Award winner, presidential candidate, member of the Club of Rome, former president of the Universidad Austral José Piñera – implemented the privatization of the Chilean pension system under Pinochet Andrés Velasco – Sumitomo Professor of International Finance and Development in the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Finance Minister during Bachelet's administration Karen Soto – Lab Technician, Department of Histology, Currently in Australia
Military
Manuel Baquedano – general of the Chilean forces during the War of the Pacific Philip Bazaar – recipient of the US Navy Medal of Honour José Miguel Carrera – first Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army and Independence leader of the Patria Vieja Luis Carrera – Chilean military officer in the War of Independence Ignacio Carrera Pinto – captain in charge of the Chilean patrol who died in Battle of La Concepción Carlos Condell – captain of the Covadonga ship at the Iquique Naval Combat Manuel Contreras – head of Augusto Pinochet's National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) Manuel Hipólito Orella – sailor who was one of the first midshipman of the Chilean Navy Patricio Lynch – governor of Lima during the Chilean occupation of Lima, Perú, during the War of the Pacific Juan MacKenna – Irish-born organizer of O'Higgins's Army Bernardo O'Higgins – founder of modern Chile Arturo Prat – captain of the Esmeralda ship at the Iquique Naval Combat; regarded as a national hero Luis Pardo – also known as Piloto Pardo, Chilean Navy captain who rescued the survivors of the Shackleton expedition Sofanor Parra – officer of the cavalry branch of the Chilean Army who fought in almost all the military actions of the War of the Pacific Juan de Quiroga y Apablaza – military figure Manuel Rodríguez – Independence leader and guerrilla leader during the Reconquista Eleuterio Ramírez – officer, hero of the War of the Pacific José Ignacio Zenteno – lieutenant Colonel of the Army of the Andes, Minister of War and Marine in the O'Higgins government
Musicians
Los Abandoned – alternative rock band Altazores – rock band founded in 2004 by Mauricio Herrera Américo – cumbia chilena singer Tom Araya – singer/bassist for thrash metal band Slayer Daniela Aleuy - singer and songwriter Claudio Arrau – classical piano player FloyyMenor – reggaeton singer Cris MJ – reggaeton singer Paloma Mami – reggaeton singer Germán Casas – 1960s singer Beto Cuevas – lead singer from rock group La Ley Alvaro Estrella – pop singer Luis 'Lucho' Gatica – bolero singer Eduardo Gatti – a leading composer of modern Chilean music Jorge González – controversial lead singer and songwriter of historic Chilean rock band Los Prisioneros Luis "Checho" González – folklore composer, born in Iquique Rodrigo González – bassist and singer of the German band die Ärzte Alberto Guerrero – Chilean–Canadian composer, pianist, and teacher Myriam Hernández – popular music singer Alicia Ika – native Rapa Nui actress, musician, songwriter, surf instructor and tourist agent. Star in 180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless (2010). Pascuala Ilabaca – singer-songwriter Inti-Illimani – pioneers of the nueva canción chilena movement; known communists and "pro-democracy" activists in exile during Pinochet dictatorship Isleña Antumalen – Huilliche singer, rapper, and activist Víctor Jara – Chilean folk singer and theatrical director; political activist; communist Alain Johannes – Chilean-born musician, songwriter, sound engineer; best known as founding member of Alternative Rock American band Eleven Oscar Lopez – senior latin guitarists musician, born in Santiago Rafael Manríquez – nueva canción musician Javiera Mena – Indie electropop musician DJ Méndez – urban music producer Mon Laferte – singer-songwriter El Monteaguilino – Cueca composer, born in Monte Águila La Noche – cumbia chilena band Chañaral Ortega-Miranda – contemporary composer Ángel Parra – folk musician (nueva canción); son of Violeta Parra Isabel Parra – folk musician; daughter of Violeta Parra Javiera Parra – lead singer from group Javiera y los Imposibles Violeta Parra – Chilean folk singer Antonio Prieto – singer and actor known in English for "The Bride" or "The Wedding" song Quilapayún – nueva canción ensemble, supporters of Popular Unity (UP) coalition during presidency of Salvador Allende Leo Rey – cumbia chilena singer Alejandro Silva – heavy metal guitar player Saiko – pop rock band Clara Solovera (1909–1992) – songwriter, born in Santiago Esther Soré (1915–1996) – 1940s singer, born in Santiago Fernando Ubiergo – folk singer-songwriter (Chilean folk), born in Valparaíso Francisca Valenzuela – singer-songwriter Ricardo Villalobos – minimal techno artist Verónica Villarroel – soprano Ramón Vinay – tenor
Artists
Claudio Bravo (1936–2011) – hyper-realist painter Carlos Catasse – painter Marta Colvin – sculptor Alfredo Jaar – installation artist, filmmaker and architect Olga Lehmann – painter Roberto Matta – painter, sculptor Camilo Mori – painter Dora Puelma – artist Carlos Sotomayor – cubist painter Miguel Venegas – painter, called "El Maestro" (the Master)
Politicians
Juana Rosa Aguirre – former first lady, wife of Pedro Aguirre Cerda Arturo Alessandri – served twice as president of Chile Jorge Alessandri – 27th President of Chile; President of Council of State under Pinochet Regime Salvador Allende – former senator and president of Chile; ousted in a military coup Clodomiro Almeyda – socialist politician Soledad Alvear – former Justice minister and Foreign minister; current PDC senator Celinda Arregui – feminist politician, writer, teacher, suffrage activist Gabriel Boric – first youth leader politician of Chile Michelle Bachelet – first woman president of Chile Juan Chandía – governor of for 1946–1952 Carlos Dávila – former Secretary General of the Organization of American States Florencio Durán – former president of the senate Héctor Faúndez – diplomat Fernando Flores – businessman and former senator Gabriel González Videla – 25th President of Chile (1946-1952) Jaime Guzmán – right wing politician during the Pinochet regime; murdered by Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front on April 1, 1991; former UDI Senator Tomás Hirsch – former president of the Humanist Party of Chile; 2005 candidate for president Antonia Illanes – lawyer and politician José Miguel Insulza – former Interior minister; current Secretary General of the Organization of American States José Antonio Kast — president of the Republican Party, former deputy and councilman, presidential candidate in 2017 and in 2021. Carlos Keller – former Leader of the National Socialist Movement of Chile, responsible for the organization of the Seguro Obrero Massacre Joaquín Lavín – Independent Democratic Union candidate for presidency in 2005 election; former mayor of Las Condes and Santiago Orlando Letelier – Foreign Minister during Salvador Allende's government murdered during the Pinochet regime in Washington, D.C. Gladys Marín – communist leader, feminist activist, lived in exile, opposed conservatism and liberal economy, admirer of Lenin and Marx Raúl Morales Beltramí – politician and physician Herman Chadwick Piñera – Chilean lawyer, businessman, trade union leader and politician Sebastián Piñera – Chilean billionaire, businessman and politician; former President of Chile Aníbal Pinto – 9th President of Chile (1876-1881) Augusto Pinochet – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Chile, President of the Government Junta of Chile, dictator from 1973 until 1990 and President from 1981 onwards. Diego Portales – Minister, major designer of the Chilean State during the first half of the 19th century Juan Antonio Ríos (1888–1946) – Chilean lawyer, political figure and 24th President of Chile Laura Rodríguez – first Humanist Party deputy in the world Jennifer Rojas – social worker and politician Camila Vallejo – Member of Parliament, led 2011 student protests in Chile Adolfo Zaldívar – PRI senator, former leader of the PDC Andrés Zaldívar – former PDC senator Herminia Colihueque, Mapuche first woman to run in an election for a political office
Religious figures
Rodolfo Acevedo – Mormon bishop Saint Teresa de los Andes – first Chilean saint Carlos Camus – Chilean bishop Francisco Javier Errázuriz – fourth Chilean cardinal Juan Francisco Fresno – third Chilean cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez – second Chilean cardinal born in Talca; human rights advocate Alberto Hurtado – saint Jorge Medina – fifth Chilean cardinal; conservative figure Fr. Juan Ignacio Molina – Chilean priest, naturalist, historian, botanist, ornithologist, geographer José María Caro Rodríguez – first Chilean cardinal Francisco Javier Quintanilla – theologian Juan Subercaseaux Errázuriz – Chilean Roman Catholic Archbishop José María Vélaz – Chilean priest Blessed Laura Vicuña
Sports
Omar Aguilar – long-distance runner Marlene Ahrens – javelin thrower; Olympic silver medalist Fernando Alvarez – jockey David Arellano – football player; namesake of Colo-Colo's stadium Luis Ayala – tennis player; twice French Open finalist Gonzalo Barrios – eSports player Claudio Bravo – football player, FC Barcelona Ben Brereton – football player Nick Carle – football player, Sydney FC Patricio Castañeda – football player Carlos Caszely – football player Patricio Cornejo – tennis player, 1976 Davis Cup finalist Cristián Garay – football referee Cristian Garín – tennis player, winner of 4 ATP titles Carlo de Gavardo – KTM rally motorcyclist Elías Figueroa – football player; three times elected as Best Football Player of America Jaime Fillol – tennis player, 1976 Davis Cup finalist Arturo Godoy – boxer, fought Joe Louis twice for the World Heavyweight title Fernando González – tennis player; only Chilean to win gold, silver and bronze medals at the Summer Olympics Tomás González – gymnast, Olympic finalist Juan Halty – former professional footballer Kai Horwitz (born 1998) – Olympic alpine skier Luis Jiménez (born 1987) – footballer Benjamín Kuscevic – football player Alberto Larraguibel – horse rider, record for puissance (high jump) on horseback Sergio Sapo Livingstone – Chilean football goalkeeper Anita Lizana – tennis player; 1937 US Open champion; first Latin American, and first Hispanic person, to be ranked World Number 1 in tennis Nicolás Massú (born 1979) – tennis player; highest world ranking #9, Olympic 2-time champion (singles and doubles) Carlos Moreno – track and field sprinter Iván Morovic – chess International Grandmaster Isidora Niemeyer – rower Érika Olivera – marathon runner; gold medal winner in women's marathon at the 1999 Pan American Games Andrés Parada - footballer Manuel Pellegrini – former footballer for Universidad de Chile, former manager of Real Madrid Alejandra Ramos – middle-distance runner Monica Regonesi – long-distance runner Sammis Reyes – basketball and American football player; first Chilean to play in the NFL Fernando Riera – Chile's most successful soccer coach; led the national team to a third-place finish in the 1962 World Cup Marcelo Ríos – first Latin American man to become world number-one tennis player Eduardo Robledo – football player, Newcastle United F.C. Jorge Robledo – player, Newcastle United F.C. Jose Romero – AFL player, Western Bulldogs