Irací Hassler

Irací Luiza Hassler Jacob (born 6 November 1990) is a Chilean politician and economist who currently serves as the Mayor of the Commune of Santiago, which corresponds with Downtown Santiago, since 2021. Hassler is a member of the Communist Party of Chile (PCCh), a left-wing political party. She has been described as "the new face of feminism and environmentalism" in Chile.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Hassler and the second or maternal family name is Jacob.

Irací Hassler
Mayor of Santiago Centro
Assumed office
June 28, 2021
Preceded byFelipe Alessandri
Succeeded byIrací Hassler
Santiago municipal councillor
In office
2016–2021
Personal details
Born
Irací Luiza Hassler Jacob

(1990-11-06) 6 November 1990
Santiago, Chile
Political partyCommunist Party of Chile
Alma materUniversity of Chile

Early life and education

Hassler was born in November 1990 in Santiago to a Brazilian mother of Tupi-Guarani and French-Jewish descent and a Chilean father of Swiss descent.[2] Her father, Rolf Hassler, made a living as a fruit businessman in Olmué, Valparaíso Region,[3][4] and is a conservative. Hassler's mother is said to be a supporter of centre-left politics and is from a family that originates northeastern Brazilian state of Piauí. Hassler has stated that her given name, Irací, is of indigenous Tupi-Guarani origin and means "queen of the bees".[5] In addition to Spanish, Hassler is fluent in her mother's native tongue of Portuguese as well as German.[1]

Hassler studied at the Swiss School in Santiago (German: Schweizer Schule Santiago), a Swiss international school in Ñuñoa, Santiago.[2] Hassler would later attend the University of Chile,[6] where she studied commercial engineering and was a member of the University Senate from 2012 to 2014.[7] After graduation, Hassler would work as a professional economist.[8]

Political career

During the 2011 Chilean student protests, Hassler joined Communist Youth of Chile (La Jota).[9] Hassler was also involved in the leadership of the University of Chile Student Federation (FECh).[10] Hassler would formally become a member of the Communist Party (PCCh) in 2018.[2] In 2016, Hassler was elected as a municipal councillor in Santiago[11] for a term ending in 2020. Hassler's term in office was extended until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2020, Hassler won the primary election to determine the opposition's candidate to the office of Mayor of Santiago vis-à-vis the upcoming 2021 municipal election.[12] She thus ran as mayoral candidate in the May 2021 election.[13][14] With remaining votes still to be counted, she called her win over incumbent Mayor Felipe Alessandri (RN) in the Plaza de Armas past 1 AM of 17 May 2021 amidst chants of "Irací, el otro no".[15][16]

In a 2021 interview with BBC following her victory, Hassler identified ending food insecurity and discrimination against migrants in Santiago as top priorities of her incoming administration.[17] Hassler was joined by Mayor of Recoleta and 2021 presidential candidate Daniel Jadue, a fellow communist, in a tour of the Barrio Lastarria.[18] An advocate of municipal socialism, Hassler stating that "communist management in a local government can transform people's lives".[19]

According to El País, Hassler has named U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, and late Chilean communist leader Gladys Marín as left-wing women in politics she admires.[5]

Hassler campaigning in the 2021 mayoral election

References
  1. "Irací Hassler, la izquierda 'millennial' de Chile ". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 12 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  2. Yáñez, Cecilia (17 May 2021). "Feministas y jóvenes: Karina Oliva e Irací Hassler, las sorpresas de la RM". La Tercera.
  3. Saravia, Claudia (20 May 2021). "Juan Sutil revela el vínculo empresarial con familia de Irací Hassler y destaca la capacidad de la nueva alcaldesa: "Es una mujer muy preparada"". La Tercera.
  4. Andrew Chernin (23 May 2021). "El camino rojo de Irací Hassler". La Tercera. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. Montes, Rocío (22 May 2021). "Irací Hassler: "Chile tiene un modelo de abusos y debe poner la dignidad en el centro"". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  6. Castillo Becerra, Gonzalo (12 November 2013). ""La gente se cansa cuando ve que las marchas no generan ningún impacto"". KmCero.
  7. "Irací Hassler Jacob - Universidad de Chile". uchile.cl. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. "LA ENTREVISTA PRIVADA. Irací Hassler – El Siglo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. "La entrevista privada. Irací Hassler". El Siglo. 13 November 2020.
  10. Manríquez, Yem (17 May 2021). "¿Quién es Irací Hassler?: La militante del PC que logró un triunfo histórico al ser electa alcaldesa de Santiago". ADN Radio.
  11. Pinto, Fabiola (24 October 2016). "Conoce a los diez concejales electos en la comuna de Santiago". Biobiochile.
  12. "Irací Hassler, candidata PC, se impone en inéditas primarias ciudadanas para definir al candidato opositor por alcaldía de Santiago". El Mostrador. 7 December 2020.
  13. "¿Quién es Irací Hassler?: La militante comunista que se convirtió en nueva alcaldesa de Santiago". Meganoticias.
  14. "Fallo fotográfico en la Municipalidad de Santiago: Irací Hassler (PC) aumenta la ventaja sobre Felipe Alessandri (RN)". El Desconcierto. 17 May 2021.
  15. "Irací Hassler consigue histórico triunfo para el PC y asesta golpe a Chile Vamos al arrebatar a Alessandri alcaldía de Santiago". La Tercera. 17 May 2021.
  16. "Se reordenan las piezas del ajedrez municipal: derecha pierde comunas emblemáticas y el poder se redistribuye en las distintas oposiciones". 17 May 2021.
  17. "Irací Hassler, primera alcaldesa comunista de Santiago de Chile: "No debemos tener miedo a transformar un modelo que ha sido tremendamente excluyente"". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  18. "Irací Hassler y Daniel Jadue…un recorrido por Lastarria – El Siglo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  19. "Iraci Hassler: Chile's rising star and first communist mayor in Santiago". au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
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