Karol Cariola
Karol Aída Cariola Oliva, born on April 1, 1987 in Santiago, is a Chilean politician from the Communist Party of Chile. She started her public life as a student leader, serving as president of the University of Concepción Student Federation (2010–2011). In November 2011 she became General Secretary of the Communist Youth of Chile, the second woman to hold that post after Gladys Marín.
Cariola entered national politics after leading the Nueva Mayoría primaries in 2013 for Recoleta-Independencia. She was elected deputy in the November 2013 elections and began serving in March 2014. She served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2014 to 2026, representing areas in Santiago, including Recoleta and Independencia.
In December 2021 she was elected to the central committee of the Communist Party of Chile. As part of a rotation agreement, she served as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies starting October 2022, and later held the post of President of the Chamber from April 15, 2024 to March 24, 2025.
In 2026 she was elected to the Senate, taking office on March 11, 2026, for the 6th Circumscription. Cariola has been an advocate for Chile to draft a new constitution and for reforms to protect workers’ rights, including a fair labor code and automatic unionization.
She studied at the University of Concepción.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:29 (CET).