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José Antonio Viera-Gallo

José Antonio Viera-Gallo
José Antonio Viera Gallo Quesney.jpg
Minister Secretary-General of the Presidency
In office
26 March 2007 – 11 March 2010
President Michelle Bachelet
Preceded by Paulina Veloso
Succeeded by Cristián Larroulet
Member of the Senate of Chile
In office
11 March 1998 – 11 March 2006
Preceded by Eugenio Cantuarias
Succeeded by Alejandro Navarro
Constituency Bío Bío Region
President of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
11 March 1990 – 21 July 1993
Preceded by Luis Pareto (1973)
Succeeded by Jorge Molina Valdivieso
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
11 March 1990 – 11 March 1998
Succeeded by Enrique van Rysselberghe Varela
Constituency District 44, Concepción
Personal details
Born (1943-12-02) 2 December 1943 (age 74)
Santiago
Nationality Chilean
Occupation politician

José Antonio Viera-Gallo Quesney (born 2 December 1943) is a Chilean politician.

Before turning 30, Viera-Gallo was a Member of Congress during the left-wing elected government of president Salvador Allende, representing the Socialist Party of Chile. Following the 1973 coup by General Augusto Pinochet, he was among those persecuted by the new regime. Like other left-wing ousted politicians, he sought refuge in a foreign diplomatic mission, specifically the Apostolic Nunciature, where he lived for over six months.

With the help of then Apostolic Nuncio Angelo Sodano (who would later rise to the rank of cardinal in the Catholic hierarchy), Viera-Gallo was able to obtain safe passage out of Chile, and moved to exile in Rome, Italy. Together with other politicians including Bernardo Leighton, and with the support of leading Italian socialists including Bettino Craxi and Rino Formica, he led the Socialist Party of Chile from exile in Italy, while the Communist Party of Chile was led by Colodomiro Almeida and others from Moscow in the then Soviet Union.

As part of his advocacy efforts to fight the regime of Augusto Pinochet, Viera-Gallo founded the magazine ChileAmérica, which would later become incorporated into the Centre for Social Studies (CESOC). In 1985 he was allowed to return to Chile. During the government of president Patricio Aylwin, he was President of the Chamber of Deputies from 11 March 1990 to 21 July 1993.


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