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Original article: Valparaíso: Invitan a presentación del nuevo libro de Sergio Jara sobre la expansión del clan Luksic en Chile

Valparaíso Hosts Presentation of Sergio Jara’s New Book on the Luksic Clan’s Expansion in Chile

«—Have you ever been to Easter Island? —Salvador Allende asked.

—Yes, of course, several times —Luksic replied, reflecting on the time when the Production Development Corporation (Corfo) unsuccessfully offered him land on the island in exchange for shares in one of his companies.

—Look, I have an idea that I see becoming more real every day: do you know Rano Kau volcano? You must have noticed that inside the volcano, in the crater, there is a lagoon. Well, I dream of seeing that lagoon turned into a yacht harbor in the midst of the South Pacific…

—But… it can’t be, Mr. President. There are like three or four kilometers of distance between the sea and the volcano!

—That’s the beauty of it, man. We could blow it all up with an atomic bomb. We make the sea flow into the lagoon and we get a wonderful port!»

This episode between President Salvador Allende and Andrónico Luksic Abaroa in August 1973, just a month before the coup, is only a glimpse of the research presented by journalist Sergio Jara Román in his new book, «Los Luksic.» This chronicle, with access to unpublished sources and unknown documents, reveals the story behind one of Chile’s most powerful family clans.

In his book, Jara traces the rise of the Luksic family from their origins in northern Chile, their Croatian immigration, the initial mining ventures, and Andrónico Luksic Abaroa’s ability to connect with various governments, from the Popular Unity to the civil-military dictatorship and the Concertación.

Additionally, he revisits high-interest journalistic episodes, such as business dealings and connections during Pinochet’s regime, the defamatory campaign by Qué Pasa magazine, international controversies like the Lucchetti case in Peru, and the extensive political networks of the group and their involvement in different judicial cases.

Overall, the book challenges the narrative of the self-made businessman, showcasing both his vision and audacity as well as the power networks and opportunities that fueled his rise.

The book will be presented by its author on Saturday, June 13, at the Qué Leo bookstore in Valparaíso, at 12:00 PM, in an event organized jointly by the College of Journalists, the Journalism program at the University of Playa Ancha, and the bookstore.

Sergio Jara Román (El Cortijo, Santiago, 1981) is a Chilean journalist, narrative writing master’s graduate, writer, and academic, specializing in economic journalism and investigative reporting.

A graduate of the University of Playa Ancha, he has worked in media such as Terra Networks, AmericaEconomía, El Mercurio, and La Tercera. He served as editor of investigation at Radio Biobío and director of press at El Desconcierto. Currently, he leads the investigation team for the morning show Contigo en la mañana on Chilevisión, where he is also a panelist.

He is the author of the books Piñera y los leones de Sanhattan (2018), Joyitas (2021, with other authors), and Piñera Offshore (2022, with Juan Pablo Figueroa), which delve deeply into the relationship between political and economic power in Chile. His work has been recognized with the Journalism Excellence Award from the Alberto Hurtado University (2017) and the distinction «Graduate with Seal UPLA 2020.»

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