Chile’s Sports Minister Natalia Duco Resigns Over Official Car Row
Chile · Politics
Key Facts
- —Who Natalia Duco Soler, Chile’s Minister of Sport and a former Olympic shot putter
- —Resignation presented Thursday, 13 August 2026, effective Friday, 14 August 2026
- —Accepted by President Jose Antonio Kast, through La Moneda
- —Main trigger a controversy over her use of an official state vehicle
- —Also out Andres Otero, the deputy sports minister, who resigned at the same time
A former Olympic shot putter, she lasted about five months in the cabinet before a state-car controversy ended her run.
Natalia Duco, Chile’s Minister of Sport and a former Olympic shot putter. Has resigned, and President Jose Antonio Kast has accepted her departure.
She presented her resignation on Thursday, 13 August 2026. And the government said it would take effect the next day, Friday, 14 August 2026.
What Natalia Duco Announced
Duco stepped down after months of pressure over her running of the sports ministry. Kast’s office, La Moneda, said the resignation would take effect on Friday, 14 August 2026.
The government framed the exit as her own decision. Still, it came while a formal inquiry into her conduct was under way.
She had led the ministry since Kast took office on 11 March 2026. Because of that timing, her run in the cabinet lasted only about five months.
The Official Car Controversy
The immediate trigger was a dispute over her use of an official state vehicle, known in Chile as an auto fiscal. Chilean outlets reported the resignation followed a complaint about that use.
The country’s Comptroller General, an independent watchdog, had opened an inquiry into the matter. As a result, the affair hung over her for weeks before she left.
Local media said a video appeared that seemed to contradict her account. After it circulated, reports of her departure quickly followed.
Who Natalia Duco Is
Natalia Duco Soler is one of Chile’s best-known athletes. For years she was the country’s leading shot putter.
The event in which competitors throw a heavy metal ball as far as they can. She competed at four Summer Olympics, in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2024.
So she arrived in government as a household sporting name rather than a career politician. Chilean media noted her athletics career had also been marked by a past doping ban.
That history followed her into public life.
From the Track to the Cabinet
Kast named her Minister of Sport as he built his cabinet in early 2026. She was the first Olympian to hold the post, a point his team promoted at the time.
For a new government, the choice signalled a fresh, non-political face. Yet the same profile left her exposed once the controversies began.
She formally took office on 11 March 2026, the day Kast was inaugurated. Since then she had faced a steady run of criticism over the ministry.
The BTS Concert Crisis
One earlier flashpoint was a row over concerts at the Estadio Nacional, Chile’s main stadium. In July 2026, planning around shows by the South Korean band BTS caused a public dispute.
In response, Duco demanded the resignation of the acting national director of the Instituto Nacional de Deportes. The state sports agency known as the IND.
That move deepened tension inside her own portfolio. The episode drew heavy coverage and put her management style in the spotlight.
Meanwhile, the vehicle inquiry was building in the background.
The Comptroller’s Inquiry
As the Comptroller examined the vehicle use, Duco chose to defend herself in public. In early August she said the only person who could question her continuity was the President.
That remark was widely reported as a sign she intended to stay. However, the pressure kept growing in the days that followed.
A lawmaker from an opposition party had already called for her to go. Despite the government’s stated support, her position steadily weakened.
Andres Otero Also Steps Down
Duco was not the only official to leave the ministry that day. Andres Otero, the deputy sports minister, resigned at the same time.
His departure was also set to take effect on Friday, 14 August 2026. So the sports ministry lost its two most senior figures at once.
The double exit left a clear gap at the top of the portfolio. At the announcement, no replacement had yet been named for either post.
A Government Losing People
The resignations added to a long list of departures from Kast’s young government. By mid-August, Chilean media counted about 38 authorities who had left in roughly five months.
That tally included ministers, deputy ministers and regional officials. As a result, the pace of exits had itself become a political story.
For a president elected on a promise of order, the churn was awkward. Still, his team argued that acting on problems showed accountability, not weakness.
What the Government Said
La Moneda confirmed that both Duco and Otero had presented their resignations. It said the departures would take effect the following day.
The statement did not dwell on the reasons behind the exits. Instead, it kept to the formal facts of the changeover.
Kast himself, a conservative who took office in March, has faced questions about cabinet stability. Because of the string of exits, each new resignation now draws extra attention.
What Happens Next
The first question is who will run the sports ministry now. Until a successor is named, senior officials typically cover the work on an acting basis.
The Comptroller’s inquiry into the vehicle use can continue regardless of the resignation. So the findings may still matter for the record, even after her exit.
For readers following Chilean politics, the wider issue is cabinet turnover. In short, the government’s ability to keep its team in place is now part of the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Natalia Duco?
Natalia Duco Soler is a former Chilean Olympic shot putter who served as Chile’s Minister of Sport under President Jose Antonio Kast. She competed at the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2024 Summer Olympics.
Why did Natalia Duco resign?
The immediate trigger was a controversy over her use of an official state vehicle, which the Comptroller General was examining. Months of wider criticism over her running of the ministry added to the pressure.
When did the resignation take effect?
Duco presented her resignation on Thursday, 13 August 2026. The government said it would take effect the next day, Friday, 14 August 2026.
Did anyone else leave the sports ministry?
Yes. Andres Otero, the deputy sports minister, resigned at the same time, with his departure also effective on 14 August 2026.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Bloomberg, BioBioChile, El Mostrador, La Cuarta, Diario El Dia, Meganoticias, Cooperativa and La Tercera.
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