Elisa Loncón Antileo is a Mapuche linguist and indigenous rights activist in Chile. In 2021, Loncón was elected as one of the representatives of the Mapuche people for the Chilean Constitutional Convention. Following in the inauguration of the body, Loncón was elected President of the Constitutional Convention. This role, along with her academic career, has placed her at the center of public attention and controversy. In particular, her formal education became a subject of public scrutiny when the Council for Transparency (CPLT) demanded the release of her academic records, igniting a debate about the intersection of race, class, and public transparency in Chile.
Inaugural session of the Chilean Constitutional Convention on 4 July 2021. Loncón is seen standing on the right.
Constitutional Convention (Chile)
The Constitutional Convention was the constituent body of the Republic of Chile in charge of drafting a new Political Constitution of the Republic after the approval of the national plebiscite held in October 2020. Its creation and regulation were carried out through Law No. 21,200, published on 24 December 2019, which amended the Political Constitution of the Republic to include the process of drafting a new constitution. The body met for the first time on 4 July 2021. Chilean President Sebastian Piñera said, "This Constitutional Convention must, within a period of 9 months, extendable for an additional 3 months, draft and approve a new constitution for Chile, which must be ratified by the citizens through a plebiscite." It ended its functions and declared itself dissolved on 4 July 2022.
Image: Palacio del ex Congreso Nacional de Chile 2020 03
Image: Palacio Pereira 2021
Hemicycle of the Chamber of Deputies of the former National Congress, place where the plenary sessions of the Convention were held.
View of the inaugural session of the Constitutional Convention. Jaime Bassa (Vice-President) and Elisa Loncón (President) are seen from behind leading the ceremony.