Aviation General Leonardo Romanini Gutiérrez will be the next commander-in-chief of the Chilean Air Force (FACh). President José Antonio Kast formally announced his selection this Tuesday at La Moneda Palace.
According to T13, Romanini has served in the institution for nearly 40 years. According to La Tercera, Kast and Minister of National Defense Fernando Barros received the officer at La Moneda along with the current commander-in-chief, Air General Hugo Rodríguez, whom he will succeed.
The transition will have two dates. Because of the presidential schedule, the official handover ceremony will take place on October 30. However, under the institution's succession process, Romanini will formally assume his duties only on November 5, 2026.
His career began in 1983, when he entered the Capitán Manuel Ávalos Prado Aviation School. He graduated as a second lieutenant on January 1, 1986. That same year, he qualified as a military pilot and specialized in combat.
In 2020, he reached the rank of Aviation General and took charge of Combat Command. Two years later, he became chief of the FACh General Staff.
His most recent appointment came from the previous government. In June 2025, then-President Gabriel Boric placed him at the head of the Joint Staff, the body that coordinates work among the Army, Navy and Air Force. Kast thus chose an officer who already held a position of trust in the outgoing administration.
Romanini holds a master's degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources from Arturo Prat University. The Air War Academy awarded him qualifications as an Aeronautical Systems Engineering Technologist and a Staff Officer.
The sources do not detail the priorities of his tenure or General Rodríguez's next role after leaving office. The next milestone is the October 30 ceremony.
