Hernán Larraín
Encyclopedia
Hernán Larraín Fernández (born September 21, 1947) is a conservative Chile
an lawyer, university lecturer, and politician; he is a current Senator and former President of the Senate, and is also currently serving as the president of the Independent Democrat Union
. Larraín was elected to the Senate representing the 11th district, the Maule Region
(south), on March 11, 1994. He served as President of the Senate from March 11, 2004, until March 11, 2005. On July 1, 2006 he became the President of the Independent Democrat Union
(Unión Demócrata Independiente) political party.
Larraín is married to Magdalena Matte Lecaros, and the two have six children. Hernán Larraín is of Basque
descent.
. He entered the School of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
and received a law degree in 1971. At the university, Larraín obtained the "J.Tocornal" and "P.Montenegro" awards, given to the best student of the class. Larraín received a scholarship from the Ford Foundation
to pursue his Master of Laws
(LL.M.) degree at the London School of Economics
.
Larraín has been professor of the School of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he served as Secretary-General. Despite having belonged to the Gremialista movement, he did not join the Independent Democrat Union until after the assassination of its founder Jaime Guzmán
in 1991.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an lawyer, university lecturer, and politician; he is a current Senator and former President of the Senate, and is also currently serving as the president of the Independent Democrat Union
Independent Democrat Union
The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins...
. Larraín was elected to the Senate representing the 11th district, the Maule Region
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
(south), on March 11, 1994. He served as President of the Senate from March 11, 2004, until March 11, 2005. On July 1, 2006 he became the President of the Independent Democrat Union
Independent Democrat Union
The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins...
(Unión Demócrata Independiente) political party.
Larraín is married to Magdalena Matte Lecaros, and the two have six children. Hernán Larraín is of Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
descent.
Early years
Hernán Larraín was born in Santiago de Chile. He studied at the Saint George's CollegeSaint George's College
Saint George’s College, founded in 1936 and run by the Congregation of Holy Cross, is among the most exclusive and upper-class schools in Santiago, Chile...
. He entered the School of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile is one of the six Catholic Universities existing in the Chilean university system and one of the two Pontifical Universities in the country, along with the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. It is also one of Chile's oldest universities and...
and received a law degree in 1971. At the university, Larraín obtained the "J.Tocornal" and "P.Montenegro" awards, given to the best student of the class. Larraín received a scholarship from the Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
to pursue his Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LL.M.) degree at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Larraín has been professor of the School of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he served as Secretary-General. Despite having belonged to the Gremialista movement, he did not join the Independent Democrat Union until after the assassination of its founder Jaime Guzmán
Jaime Guzmán
Jaime Jorge Guzmán Errázuriz was a Chilean lawyer and senator, member and doctrinal founder of the conservative Independent Democrat Union party. He opposed Marxist President Salvador Allende and later became a close advisor to dictator Augusto Pinochet. A professor of Constitutional Law, he...
in 1991.
External links
- Official site of Hernán Larraín
- Biography on Senado.cl
- Biography on BCN.cl, National Congressional Library