Pedro Varela Sabando
General Pedro Varela | |
|---|---|
 Varela as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army | |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army | |
| Assumed office 9 March 2026 | |
| President | Gabriel Boric José Antonio Kast |
| Preceded by | Javier Iturriaga del Campo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) Chiguayante, Chile |
| Education | Bernardo O'Higgins Military Academy Chilean Army War Academy |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Chile |
| Branch/service | Chilean Army |
| Rank | Army General |
| Commands | Chilean Army |
Pedro Raúl Varela Sabando (born 1968) is a Chilean Army general who has served as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army since 9 March 2026. He was appointed to the position by President Gabriel Boric in November 2025, succeeding General Javier Iturriaga del Campo.[1]
Early life and military education
Varela was born in Chiguayante, Chile, in 1968. He attended the Colegio San Agustín de Concepción before entering the Bernardo O'Higgins Military Academy in 1986. He graduated in 1988 with the rank of ensign.[2]
Varela is a qualified staff officer and has also specialised in commando operations, military parachuting and military intelligence. He has served as a military instructor at both school and academy level. He holds a degree in Military Sciences and a master's degree in Strategic Planning and Management from the Chilean Army War Academy.[3]
Military career
In 2020, while holding the rank of brigadier general, Varela was appointed director of intelligence of the Chilean Army, where he was involved in the development of the Army's cyber-defence capabilities.
He subsequently held a number of senior appointments in Chile and abroad. He served as head of the Chilean military mission in the United States, and after returning to Chile became commander of Special Operations and commander of the Joint Northern Command, with responsibilities covering Chile's northern border regions.
In 2024, Varela was promoted to major general and appointed commander of Land Operations. In this position, he was responsible for the planning and direction of the operational readiness of the Army's land forces.[4]
Commander-in-Chief of the Army
On 10 November 2025, President Gabriel Boric announced Varela's appointment as the next Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army for the 2026–2030 term, succeeding General Javier Iturriaga del Campo.[1]
Varela formally assumed command on 9 March 2026. The change-of-command ceremony was held at the Bernardo O'Higgins Military Academy in Santiago, in the presence of civilian and military authorities.[5]
As commander-in-chief, Varela has identified three principal priorities for the Army: border control, particularly in response to irregular migration in Chile's northern regions; technological modernisation in intelligence and cyber-defence; and strengthening public confidence in the Army within Chile's democratic institutional framework.[5]
Military ranks
Varela's promotions in the Chilean Army include:
- 1986: Cadet
- 1988: Ensign
- 2014: Colonel
- 2020: Brigadier general
- 2024: Major general
- 2026: Army general
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Presidente de la República, Gabriel Boric Font, designa al General Pedro Varela como próximo Comandante en Jefe del Ejército de Chile". Prensa Presidencia (in Spanish). Presidency of Chile. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2026.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ "Nuestro exalumno Pedro Varela Sabando asume como Comandante en Jefe del Ejército de Chile". Colegio San Agustín de Concepción (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 September 2026.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ "Quién es Pedro Varela, el nuevo comandante en jefe del Ejército: fue designado por el presidente Boric". BioBioChile (in Spanish). 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ "Pedro Varela, un nuevo liderazgo para el Ejército de Chile". Revista Seguridad (in Spanish). 11 March 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "El general Pedro Varela asumió como comandante en jefe del Ejército". Subsecretaría de Defensa (in Spanish). Government of Chile. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
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