Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Defence (Chile)
{{Short description|Professional head of the Chilean Armed Forces}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Chief
| body = the Joint Staff of Defence
| native_name = {{small|{{lang|es|Jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto de la Defensa de Chile}}}}
| flag =
| flagsize =
| flagborder =
| flagcaption = Standard
| insignia =
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Coat of Arms
| image =
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| incumbent = Pablo Niemann Figari
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 20 November 2023
| type =
| status =
| department = Ministry of Defense
| style =
| member_of =
| reports_to = Minister of Defence
| residence =
| seat =
| nominator =
| appointer = President of Chile
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength =
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor =
| formation = 23 February 2010
| first = {{ill|Cristián Le Dantec|es}}
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| abbreviation =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
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| website =
}}
The Chief of the Joint Staff of Defence ({{langx|es|Jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto de la Defensa de Chile}}) is the professional head of the Chilean Armed Forces. The Chief is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Chilean military.
The current Chief is Vice Admiral Pablo Niemann Figari. He was appointed by President Gabriel Boric on 20 November 2023.{{cite web|title=Asume nuevo Jefe del Estado Mayor Conjunto|url=https://www.armada.cl/asume-nuevo-jefe-del-estado-mayor-conjunto|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=20 November 2023|accessdate=17 January 2024}}
List of Chiefs
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = y
| showref = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = Divisional general
| officeholder = {{ill|Cristián Le Dantec|es}}
| officeholder_sort = Dantec, Cristián
| born_year = 1953
| died_year =
| term_start = 23 February 2010
| term_end = 17 January 2011
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2010|02|23|2011|01|17}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image = MINISTRO DE DEFENSA PEDRO CATERIANO SE REUNIÓ CON JEFE DE ESTADO MAYOR DE CHILE (9037662816) (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Divisional general
| officeholder = Hernán Mardones
| officeholder_sort = Mardones, Hernán
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 17 January 2011
| term_end = 25 November 2013
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2011|01|17|2013|11|25}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image =
| military_rank = Vice admiral
| officeholder = José Miguel Romero
| officeholder_sort = Romero, José
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 25 November 2013
| term_end = 31 December 2015
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2013|11|25|2015|12|31}}
| defence_branch = {{naval|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image = Arturo Merino Nuñez.jpg
| military_rank = Aviation general
| officeholder = Arturo Merino Núñez
| officeholder_sort = Nuñez, Arturo
| born_year = 1960
| died_year =
| term_start = 1 January 2016
| term_end = 5 November 2018
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2016|01|01|2018|11|05}}
| defence_branch = {{air force|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 5
| image =
| military_rank = Vice admiral
| officeholder = Rodrigo Álvarez Aguirre
| officeholder_sort = Aguirre, Rodrigo
| born_year = 1961
| died_year =
| term_start = 5 November 2018
| term_end = 13 November 2020
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2018|11|05|2020|11|13}}
| defence_branch = {{naval|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 6
| image = General de División Javier Iturriaga del Campo (2020).jpg
| military_rank = Divisional general
| officeholder = Javier Iturriaga del Campo
| officeholder_sort = Campo, Javier
| born_year = 1965
| died_year =
| term_start = 13 November 2020
| term_end = 8 March 2022
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2020|11|13|2022|03|08}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 7
| image =
| military_rank = Divisional general
| officeholder = Guillermo Paiva Hernandez
| officeholder_sort = Paiva, Guillermo
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 9 March 2022
| term_end = 22 September 2022
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2022|03|09|2022|09|22}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 8
| image =
| military_rank = Vice admiral
| officeholder = José Luis Fernández Morales
| officeholder_sort = Fernández , José Luis
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 23 September 2022
| term_end = 24 November 2022
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2022|09|23|2022|11|24}}
| defence_branch = {{naval|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 9
| image =
| military_rank = Aviation general
| officeholder = José Nogueira León
| officeholder_sort = Nogueira, León
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 24 November 2022
| term_end = 5 December 2022
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2022|11|24|2022|12|05}}
| defence_branch = {{air force|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 10
| image =
| military_rank = Aviation general
| officeholder = Jean Pierre Desgroux Ycaza
| officeholder_sort = Desgroux, Jean
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 5 December 2022
| term_end = 20 November 2023
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2022|12|05|2023|11|20}}
| defence_branch = {{air force|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 11
| image = General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attends brunch at Ambassador Bernadette Meehan's, U.S. Ambassador to Chile, residence in Santiago, Chile, August 27, 2024 - 11.jpg
| military_rank = Vice admiral
| officeholder = Pablo Niemann Figari
| officeholder_sort = Niemann, Pablo
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 20 November 2023
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2023|11|20}}
| defence_branch = {{naval|Chile}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}