He began his political activities during the 1980s, joining the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), where he became closely associated with former senator Adolfo Zaldívar, who supported his political career. As a local leader, he played an active role in the period leading up to the 1988 national plebiscite. He also served as president of the Manuel Rodríguez neighbourhood association in Chimbarongo, where he promoted local development initiatives.[4]
In the 1996 municipal elections, he was elected councillor of the commune of Chimbarongo, obtaining 18.24% of the vote.[4]
In the 2000 municipal elections, he was elected mayor of Chimbarongo representing the Christian Democratic Party, obtaining 5,565 votes, equivalent to 33.84% of the valid votes cast.[4] He was re-elected in 2004, again representing the Christian Democratic Party, with 59.60% of the vote.[4]
Following the expulsion of Adolfo Zaldívar from the Christian Democratic Party in December 2007 and the creation of the Independent Regionalist Party (PRI), he joined that party. In the 2008 municipal elections, he ran as an independent on the Por un Chile Limpio list and was elected mayor with 65.06% of the vote, becoming the highest-voted mayor in the region. During this period, he served as National Vice President of the Chilean Association of Municipalities.[4]
In the 2012 municipal elections, he was re-elected mayor for a fourth consecutive term, representing the Regionalist Party of Independents, obtaining 52.93% of the vote.[4]
He later joined the Radical Social Democratic Party.[4]
In the 2017 parliamentary elections, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Chile representing the 16th electoral district of the O'Higgins Region, comprising the communes of Chépica, Chimbarongo, La Estrella, Las Cabras, Litueche, Marchigüe, Nancagua, Navidad, Palmilla, Paredones, Peralillo, Peumo, Pichidegua, Pichilemu, Placilla, Pumanque, San Fernando, San Vicente and Santa Cruz. He was elected representing the Radical Social Democratic Party within the La Fuerza de la Mayoría coalition, obtaining 8,864 votes, equivalent to 6.45% of the valid votes cast.[4]
In August 2021, he sought re-election for the same district. In the parliamentary elections held in November 2021, he was re-elected representing the Radical Social Democratic Party within the New Social Pact coalition, obtaining 13,489 votes, equivalent to 9.96% of the valid votes cast.[4]
He ran for re-election in the parliamentary elections of 16 November 2025, representing the Radical Party within the Unity for Chile coalition. He was not elected, obtaining 17,368 votes, equivalent to 6.78% of the valid votes cast.[4]
.jpg)