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Fernando Matthei
Fernando Matthei
Birth name Fernando Matthei Aubel
Born 11 July 1925(1925-07-11) (age 99)
Place of birth Osorno, Chile
Allegiance Flag of Chile Chile
Service/branch Chilean Air Force
Years of service 1945 - 1991
Rank General
Relations Evelyn Matthei

Fernando Matthei Aubel (b.Osorno July 11, 1925) is a retired Chilean Air Force General who was part of the military junta that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, replacing the dismissed Gustavo Leigh as Air Force Commander in Chief on July 24, 1978. He was part of the Junta from 1977 to 1990, retiring from the Air Force in July 1991. Before becoming a junta member, Matthei was Minister of Health of the military government. In October 1988, Matthei was the first Junta member to publicly admit that the regime had lost the referendum (plebiscite) to elect Pinochet for a new eight-year presidential term. Later the same day, the government stated that the referendum result would be respected and that the 1980 Constitution path to democracy would be strictly followed.

2003 saw the publishing of the book Matthei. Mi testimonio, written by Chilean historians Patricia Arancibia and Isabel de la Maza, in which Matthei recounts his public life. In September, 2005, Matthei admitted in a television program that he "did everything possible so that Argentina would lose" the 1982 Falklands War with Britain.[1]

Matthei is the father of Chilean senator and 2013 presidential candidate Evelyn Matthei.

Literature[]

Arancibia P. y de la Maza I. (2003) Matthei. Mi testimonio. La Tercera/Mondadori, Santiago.

References[]

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by
Minister of Health
1976-1978
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Gustavo Leigh
Member of Government Junta
1978-1990
Succeeded by
None
Military offices
Preceded by
Gustavo Leigh
Air Force Commander-in-chief
1978-1991
Succeeded by
Ramón Vega
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