Alberto Cienfuegos

Alberto Temístocles Cienfuegos Becerra (born 23 July 1947) is a retired Chilean police officer who served as General Director of Carabineros de Chile from 2001 to 2005. He was appointed by President Ricardo Lagos, succeeding Manuel Ugarte Soto, and completed his four-year term in November 2005.

Early life and education

Cienfuegos was born in Rancagua, Chile, on 23 July 1947, the son of General Óscar Cienfuegos Navarrete and Lucía Becerra Retamales. He attended the Liceo de Hombres de Rancagua and later the Liceo N.º 1 Valentín Letelier in Santiago, graduating in 1965.

Cienfuegos entered the Carabineros School on 16 March 1966 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in December 1967. He later attended the Academy of Police Sciences, graduating as an officer in Police Sciences. He ranked first among the officers in his graduating class.

He also qualified as an instructor for Carabineros educational institutions and completed specialised courses in statistics, teaching methods and curriculum design.

Cienfuegos is married to Sylvia Spikin Urrutia, with whom he has two sons.

Police career

After graduating from the Carabineros School, Cienfuegos served in units of the Valparaíso Prefecture between 1968 and 1970. He subsequently served with the Radio Patrol Prefecture, the Juvenile Police Department and the 9th Police Station in Santiago. After his promotion to captain in 1975, he was assigned to the 1st Police Station in Coyhaique and later served in the regional administration of what is now the Aysén Region.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he served with the Special Forces Prefecture, the National Academy of Political and Strategic Studies and the institution's Public Relations Department. After attending the Academy of Police Sciences, he was promoted to major in 1984 and served as commissioner of the 1st Police Station in Iquique from 1985 to 1987.

In 1988, Cienfuegos became commander of the Officer Candidates Group at the Carabineros School. Following his promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1989, he was appointed the school's administrative deputy director. From 1990 to 1991, he served as aide-de-camp to President Patricio Aylwin, and in 1992 was assigned to the Chilean embassy in the United States.

Cienfuegos was promoted to colonel in 1994 and served as director of the Carabineros School. He reached the rank of general in 1996, subsequently serving as director of education and director of Borders and Specialised Services. After his promotion to General Inspector in 1998, he served as director of personnel in 1999 and director of logistics in 2000. In 2001, he became Inspector General of Carabineros.

General Director of Carabineros

On 27 October 2001, President Ricardo Lagos announced Cienfuegos's appointment as the next General Director of Carabineros, succeeding Manuel Ugarte Soto. He formally assumed command on 27 November 2001.

During his four-year tenure, Cienfuegos emphasised the professionalisation and modernisation of Carabineros, as well as strengthening relations between the institution and local communities.

Cienfuegos completed his four-year term on 27 November 2005. At a change-of-command ceremony attended by President Lagos, he transferred leadership of Carabineros to General Inspector José Alejandro Bernales and retired from active service.

Later career

After retiring from Carabineros, Cienfuegos became involved in public affairs. In 2009, he stood as an independent candidate for the Chamber of Deputies in District 23, comprising Las Condes, Vitacura and Lo Barnechea, with the support of the Christian Democratic Party.

He received 26,917 votes, or 12.61% of the vote, and was not elected.