Kast appoints Pablo Camus as rector of the University of Antofagasta

The President of the Republic, José Antonio Kast Rist, appointed Pablo Abraham Camus Galleguillos as Rector of the University of Antofagasta for a legal term of four years, through supreme decree No. 188, dated August 10, 2026, from the Ministry of Education. The appointment was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile No. 44,556, on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in Section I of General Norms, with the official reference CVE 2870952. According to the scope of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the appointment is effective as of August 23, 2026.

The act was issued within the framework of Law No. 19,305, which regulates the election of rectors of state universities, and the final paragraph of Article 21 of Law No. 21,094, on State Universities, which provides that the elected rector “shall be appointed by the President of the Republic by means of a supreme decree issued through the Ministry of Education.” The Statutes of the University of Antofagasta, approved by decree with force of law No. 21, of 2023, from the Ministry of Education, sets the duration of the position at four years, with the possibility of a single reelection for the immediately following period.

An election with more than half of the votes

The Superior Council of the University of Antofagasta, the highest collegiate body of the institution, adopted its agreement No. 42 in ordinary session No. 8, on April 10, 2026, calling for rector elections for the 2026-2030 period. The university’s Election Qualifying Tribunal reported the result through official letter No. 627-2026, dated July 13, 2026, and the Superior Council communicated the victory of Camus Galleguillos to the President of the Republic by means of letter C.S. No. 01/2026, dated July 14, 2026, stating that he was elected “by more than half of the validly cast votes.”

Supreme decree No. 118, of 2022, from the Ministry of Education, had appointed Marcos Antonio Cikutovic Salas as rector of the institution for four years starting August 22, 2022, a period that concluded on August 22, 2026.

Comptroller’s Office takes note with scopes

The Comptroller General of the Republic, via official letter No. OF169578/2026, dated September 4, 2026, processed the decree as it considered that the act “complies with the law,” but formulated two clarifications:

• The position was previously held by Marcos Cikutovic Salas between August 22, 2022, and August 22, 2026; therefore, the appointment is effective from August 23, 2026, the date from which the four years are computed.
• It is not possible to maintain ownership of the full-time academic position, as the exceptions in Article 87, letter e), of Law No. 18,834 refer to permanent staff positions and not to contract-based links, a condition stated in Certificate No. 150, dated June 2, 2026.

The ruling is based on Rulings No. 22,237 of 1995; 34,238 and 35,637 of 1996; and 21,189 of 2005. The official letter was signed by Alejandro Gonzalo Riquelme Montecinos, head of the Public Service Division.

Academic trajectory and legal requirements

The Undersecretariat of Higher Education managed the appointment through internal memorandum 06/742, dated July 24, 2026, from its University Education Division, accompanying the background information that proves compliance with the legal requirements:

• Public Administrator degree of Pablo Abraham Camus Galleguillos, conferred by the Universidad Central de Chile on November 7, 2003.
• Exercise of academic positions between October 2015 and April 2018, and between May and December 2018.
• Performance as dean of the Faculty of Education since December 2018.
• Contract position as Academic, Associate Professor, Grade 8 ERUA, according to Certificate No. 194, dated July 23, 2026.

The decree bears the signatures of José Antonio Kast Rist and the Minister of Education, María Paz Arzola González, and was transcribed by the Undersecretary of Higher Education, Fernanda Valdés Raczynski. Article 3 establishes that the rector will assume his duties from the date of his appointment, without waiting for the full processing of the decree, for reasons of good service.

The appointment defines the leadership of a regional state university for the next four years and highlights the control that the Comptroller General of the Republic exercises over the appointments of top university authorities, including the incompatibility between the management position and the retention of a contract-based post.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,556, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Section I, General Norms, pp. 1-3 (official reference: CVE 2870952).