Myrta Dubost

She was appointed mayor by Augusto Pinochet regime on 3 June 1986, and served until the municipal elections of September 1992, won by Jorge Soria, who regained the office after being mayor from 1964 to the 1973 Chilean coup d'état.

Dubost was chosen by the municipal council to return as mayor on 18 April 2007, following Soria’s removal due to a fraud investigation.^[3] At the time, the municipality faced a budget deficit of approximately CLP 7 billion (~USD 15 million). Thereby, she ran in the 2008 municipal election with support from UDI and RN, winning approximately 52.18% of the vote over her main opponent Mauricio Soria Macchiavello (36.70%).^[4]

During her second term, she led the transformation of the Domingo Santa María School into the region’s first Bicentennial High School, improving public education access in her city. Other significant infrastructure and cultural projects included Punta Gruesa Park, Costa Verde Park, lighting of Cavancha and Playa Brava beaches, the Casa de la Cultura, the municipal council building, outdoor gyms, and revival of the Festival of Iquique from 2008 to 2012.

In February 2012, the Transparency Council (CPLT) fined Dubost 20% of her monthly salary for failing to provide public employee attendance records from several municipal offices.^[5][6] Then, she resigned.^[7][8]