New Appointment Announced
President José Antonio Kast has designated lawyer Sebastián Vallebona Espinosa as the new Deputy Finance Minister, according to the Presidential Press Office. Vallebona, who previously served as the Tax Policy Coordinator within the same ministry, steps into the role left vacant by Juan Pablo Rodríguez. The announcement was made on Monday, ending weeks of speculation about who would fill the position.[S1][S6]
Vallebona's appointment comes nearly three weeks after Rodríguez's departure on July 23. Rodríguez left after testing positive in one of the drug tests that the government administers to its officials. The Interior and Government Secretariat Minister, Claudio Alvarado, had explained that Rodríguez tested negative in an initial exam in April, but a second test taken in June returned a positive result on its first sample.[S6]
Profile of the New Deputy Minister
Sebastián Vallebona is a lawyer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where he also earned a Master of Laws (LLM) with a specialization in tax law. He further holds an advanced LLM in international tax law from Leiden University in the Netherlands. His academic career includes teaching Tax Law I and II at the UC Faculty of Law and an Essential International Taxation course at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.[S1][S4]
In the private sector, Vallebona worked as a senior specialist in the Legal and Tax Services Department at PwC Chile between 2012 and 2015, and later became a partner at the law firm Pereira Covarrubias Montes Abogados until March 2026, when he joined the Ministry of Finance. He is also a member of IFA Chile, an international fiscal association.[S4]
Rodríguez's Controversial Exit
Juan Pablo Rodríguez consistently denied using drugs and presented results from independent laboratory tests that came back negative, arguing that the hair test that led to his dismissal was erroneous. Despite support from various sectors within the ruling coalition, the government decided not to reinstate him. After the announcement of his successor, Rodríguez posted a brief farewell message on X, expressing gratitude for his service and wishing success to Vallebona.[S2][S4][S5]
The controversy over Rodríguez's departure and the drug testing protocol caused tension within the government. Arturo Squella, president of the Republican Party, even suggested that Interior Undersecretary Máximo Pavez should apologize for what he called disdain for the case, malicious rumors, and irresponsibility in the process. The appointment of Vallebona closes this chapter, with the government moving forward.[S6]
