Mónica Jiménez
Encyclopedia
Mónica Eliana Jiménez de la Jara (b. December 25, 1940) is a Chile
an Christian Democrat
politician and former Minister of Education.
Jiménez comes from a very political family. Her father Oscar Jiménez Pinochet
was Minister of Health
under President Salvador Allende
, while her brother Jorge occupied the same position under President Patricio Aylwin
. Even though she never formally joined the Christian Democrat Party
until 2009, she supported it since she was a university student. She graduated as a social worker from the Universidad Catolica de Chile. In 1981, she obtained a Fulbright scholarship that allowed her to complete a Postgrade in Social Work Education at the Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C.
Jiménez was married to Juan Barros, with whom they had five children, and who died in 2002, leaving her a widow. She was a member of the National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation
which investigated human rights
abuses resulting in death or disappearance that occurred in Chile
during the years of military rule under General Augusto Pinochet
. She was also a member of the Presidential Committee on Higher Education Certification and the Committee of the Fundación Paz Ciudadana. Jiménez is also the leader of the project "University: Building a Nation", an initiative that unifies the social work of 13 Chilean universities. She is also president of the Educational Corporation Aprender, which runs two schools for socially disadvantaged children.
During her professional career, Jiménez has been Dean of Social Work at the Universidad Catolica de Chile, and president of the Teacher's Association of the same University, acting as their representative in the directive council. Before being appointed as Minister of Education by President Michelle Bachelet
on April 18, 2008, she was the President of the Catholic University of Temuco. She replaced Yasna Provoste
, dismissed in April 2008 because of her participation in the corruption case known as Caso Subvenciones.
In July 2008, during a public debate called "Dialogues for Education" and in the context of a manifestation of repudiation by various stake-holders, the 14 years old student María Música Sepúlveda threw her a jar of water to the face to catch the attention of the Minister who ignored her while she tried to discuss the violent ways used by the police to expel students from the debate. The act was widely rejected by politicians of government and opposition parties, but has generated a mixed reaction in the general population. The student organisations, in particular, have openly supported and revindicated Maria Música's act.
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 Christian Democrat
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
politician and former Minister of Education.
Jiménez comes from a very political family. Her father Oscar Jiménez Pinochet
Óscar Jiménez
Óscar Armando Jiménez Campos is a Salvadoran footballer who currently plays for Isidro Metapán in the Salvadoran First Division.-Club career:...
was Minister of Health
Ministry of Health (Chile)
The Ministry of Health of Chile , also known as MINSAL, is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing the public health policies formulated by the President of Chile...
under President Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
, while her brother Jorge occupied the same position under President Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin Azócar was the first president of Chile after its return to democratic rule in 1990, following the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.- Early life :...
. Even though she never formally joined the Christian Democrat Party
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
until 2009, she supported it since she was a university student. She graduated as a social worker from the Universidad Catolica de Chile. In 1981, she obtained a Fulbright scholarship that allowed her to complete a Postgrade in Social Work Education at the Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C.
Jiménez was married to Juan Barros, with whom they had five children, and who died in 2002, leaving her a widow. She was a member of the National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation
Rettig Report
The Rettig Report, officially The National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation Report, is a 1991 report by a commission designated by then President Patricio Aylwin encompassing human rights abuses resulting in death or disappearance that occurred in Chile during the years of military rule...
which investigated human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuses resulting in death or disappearance that occurred in Chile
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...
during the years of military rule under General Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
. She was also a member of the Presidential Committee on Higher Education Certification and the Committee of the Fundación Paz Ciudadana. Jiménez is also the leader of the project "University: Building a Nation", an initiative that unifies the social work of 13 Chilean universities. She is also president of the Educational Corporation Aprender, which runs two schools for socially disadvantaged children.
During her professional career, Jiménez has been Dean of Social Work at the Universidad Catolica de Chile, and president of the Teacher's Association of the same University, acting as their representative in the directive council. Before being appointed as Minister of Education by President Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
on April 18, 2008, she was the President of the Catholic University of Temuco. She replaced Yasna Provoste
Yasna Provoste
Yasna Provoste Campillay is a Chilean teacher and Christian Democrat politician. She is the first minister to be impeached by Congress since democracy returned to Chile in 1990.-Education and political career:...
, dismissed in April 2008 because of her participation in the corruption case known as Caso Subvenciones.
In July 2008, during a public debate called "Dialogues for Education" and in the context of a manifestation of repudiation by various stake-holders, the 14 years old student María Música Sepúlveda threw her a jar of water to the face to catch the attention of the Minister who ignored her while she tried to discuss the violent ways used by the police to expel students from the debate. The act was widely rejected by politicians of government and opposition parties, but has generated a mixed reaction in the general population. The student organisations, in particular, have openly supported and revindicated Maria Música's act.