Jorge Sharp


Jorge Esteban Sharp Fajardo is a Chilean lawyer and politician. He is the current Valparaíso Mayor.

Early life

Born in Punta Arenas, Magallanes Region, he is son of Leonor Fajardo Filipic and Jorge Sharp Galetovic. His father in 2013 was decorated as a "illustrious citizen" of the Region.
He began as a student leader in Magallanes, being part of FESES' regional re-founding, and his school student center's president.

Political career

In 2003 he moved to Valparaíso to study law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. He was a member of the Center for Academic Legal Studies between 2005 and 2006. In 2015 he graduated as a lawyer.
During his university period he was an active participant in the 2006 student protests in Chile and became Izquierda Autónoma founding member, left-wing organization led by then fellow law student Gabriel Boric. He ran for Student Center of the PUCV Law School president in 2006 and the following year as PUCV Student Federation president. In both he was not elected. In 2008 he was part of the PUCV Student Cordon. In 2008 he came to FEPUCV board as vice president, while in 2009 he took over as federation's president.
In 2016, he presented himself as an Izquierda Autónoma pre-candidate for the "citizen primary" to run for Mayor of Valparaíso in that year's municipal elections of that year, which he resulted winner with 1703 votes. The same year, he was one of the leaders who, along with Boric, left Izquierda Autónoma to release Movimiento Autonomista. During 23 October election, he definitely was elected Mayor of Valparaíso with 53% of the votes.