Presidential commissioner for the security of the Macro North Zone appointed

The President of the Republic appointed Alberto Soto Valenzuela (RUT 9.417.401-5) as Presidential Commissioner for the Coordination of Borders and Strategic Security in the Macro North Zone, as a direct collaborator of the president. Decree No. 41, signed in Santiago on March 11, 2026, was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile No. 44,534, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, pages 1 and 2, under CVE 2857287.

The position covers the regions of Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta, areas considered critical due to irregular migratory flows and the presence of transnational organized crime. The commissioner serves from March 11, 2026, until December 31, 2026, a term that may be extended, and for urgent reasons of public service, began his duties without waiting for the full processing of the decree.

A position of advisory and collaboration

The decree emphasizes that the appointment is strictly for advisory and collaboration purposes, without executive powers inherent to administrative bodies, in accordance with the criteria of the Comptroller General of the Republic. The commissioner shall advise the President and collaborate with the Ministry of the Interior and State portfolios in the monitoring of policies and plans aimed at:

• Strengthening migratory control: advising on the design of logistical capacities for the regularity of migratory flows.
• Combating organized crime: proposing measures for the dismantling of criminal structures and organizations present in the country.
• Operational efficiency: collaborating in the technical coordination between the Armed Forces, the Law Enforcement and Security Forces, and supervisory services.

Inter-institutional coordination

To fulfill his mission, the commissioner will perform coordination tasks with various State agencies:

• With the Ministry of the Interior, proposing priorities for migratory and territorial control through the Undersecretariat of the Interior.
• With the Regional Presidential Delegates, to identify territorial needs before local public services.
• With the Ministry of Defense and the Joint Staff, for the coordination of logistical support and surveillance in border areas.
• He may request the necessary background information and reports for his advisory role from the bodies of the State Administration.

The commissioner will have the technical and administrative support of the Undersecretariat of the Interior, which will provide an interdisciplinary team. Personnel must strictly comply with the secrecy and confidentiality rules of Laws No. 19,913, No. 20,000, and No. 19,974, as well as the protection of personal data under Law No. 19,628.

The decree was signed by the President of the Republic, José Antonio Kast Rist; the Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado Andrade; the Minister of National Defense, Fernando Barros Tocornal, and the Minister of Public Security, María Trinidad Steinert Herrera, and transcribed by the Undersecretary of the Interior, Máximo Pavez Cantillano.

The creation of this figure responds to the need for a coordinated state response and high-level technical advisory in the face of irregular migration phenomena and transnational organized crime affecting the country’s northern border. The position, which is temporary and renewable, seeks to provide the Executive with a direct interlocutor to articulate security and migration institutions in one of the most sensitive areas of Chilean geography.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,534, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, General Regulations, pp. 1-2 (official reference: CVE 2857287).