Marcos Antonio VASQUEZ MEZA was born on December 31st, 1957 in Talcahuano, Chile. He entered Chile’s Investigative Police in March 1977. His professional career has been underlined by his exhaustive and thorough experience in the management of Police operations, particularly, in the field of antinarcotics.

Mr. VASQUEZ MEZA obtained a degree in Criminal Science (2004), and he passed the High Command Course (2007) with distinction. During his police career, he has carried out various studies in Chile, excelling in the Diploma on “High Command and Advance Management course” at University Alberto Hurtado, Santiago (2007). In the year 2008 he was promoted to Prefecto Inspector and appointed Director General of the Investigative Police of Chile on June 26th, 2009.

In his capacity as a civil police officer he has served in different units of the country, including Antofagasta, Cauquenes, Chillan, Santiago and the Region of Concepción – and in important Police Divisions: Judicial Commissariat, Antinarcotics Brigade, Criminal Investigations Brigade, Regional Staff Department, Provincial Prefecture and Head of the Eighth Police Region of the Bio Bio.

He is a specialist in Security and Terrorism, Police Intelligence and Antinarcotics. He has participated in several training courses in Chile and abroad: “Actualization of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure” at Universidad de Concepción (1984); “Chemical Precursors,” organized by the United Nations in Santiago, Chile (1991), Seminar in “Drug Trafficking: Objective of Intelligence Analysis,” organized by the United Nations in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1996);
“ International Course on Updating Criminology” organized by Katholicke Universiteif Leuven, (Belgium), the Iberoamerican Association of Legal Psychology and the Criminal Institute of the Investigative Police of Chile, Santiago (1999).

Other courses include “Procedure in Interfamily Violence,” organized by the Program for Prevention and Intervention of Violence (1999); Criminal Procedural Reform,” at Universidad de Concepción (1999 and 2000); and “Workshop in Prevention and Fight against Terrorism and its Financing,” organized by United Nations and the Ministry of Interior of Chile, 2007.

Mr. VASQUEZ MEZA has participated in work meetings specialized in antinarcotics with other Police and Security Forces from the United States, Germany, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.

Likewise, in recognition of his outstanding trajectory he has received several distinctions, such as “Best Police Officer,” by the Municipality of Concepción (1986); “Star for Police Merit” (1997), for 20 years of service; “Star to the Great Police Merit” (2007), for 30 years of service; “President of the Republic” Award in the rank of “Great Officer” for promotion to Prefecto Inspector (2008); and the President of the Republic Award “Great Cross Chain”, when appointed Director General of the Investigative Police of Chile (2009)

Mr..Vásquez Meza is married to Carmen Gloria Muñoz Troncoso and has three children.