Ricardo Lagos

Lagos served as Minister of Education under President Patricio Aylwin from 1990 to 1992. He oversaw the expansion of the school system and the implementation of educational reforms following the return to democracy in Chile.

Ricardo Lagos won the 1999-2000 presidential election as the candidate of the Concertaci

Lagos launched the Universal Access with Explicit Guarantees (AUGE) health reform in 2002, which guaranteed timely access to treatment for a list of priority diseases. The plan expanded healthcare coverage and reduced waiting times for patients in Chile.

Lagos signed the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement on June 6, 2003, which was ratified by both countries and entered into force on January 1, 2004. The agreement eliminated tariffs and strengthened economic ties between Chile and the United States.

After his presidency, Lagos was appointed by the World Health Organization to chair the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health from 2005 to 2008. The commission produced a report linking health outcomes to social and economic factors.