Eduardo Maldonado Mercado (12 March 1900 – 9 April 1978) was a Chilean police officer who served as General Director of Carabineros de Chile from 1944 to 1947. He subsequently served as a municipal councillor in Providencia and as Chilean ambassador to Paraguay.
Biography Early life and police career Maldonado was born in San Carlos, Chile, on 12 March 1900. He entered the School of Carabineros as an officer cadet in May 1917, having previously completed military service and attained the rank of reserve second lieutenant. In 1918, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the Antofagasta Squadron.
During his early career, he served in several units of the former Carabineros Corps, including those stationed in Tacna, Arica, Taltal and Chuquicamata. In 1921, he participated in a mounted reconnaissance expedition between Santiago and Chillán. Following the establishment of Carabineros de Chile in 1927, he continued his career as a captain.
He subsequently held command and administrative positions in Talca, Concepción and Santiago. In 1932, he became Deputy Director of the School of Carabineros, where he remained until his appointment as Prefect of Magallanes in 1937. He later served as Chief Prefect of Concepción and Valparaíso before returning to the School of Carabineros as its director in 1941.
In 1942, Maldonado was promoted to inspector colonel and appointed Chief Prefect of Santiago. Following changes to the institution's rank structure, he attained the rank of general and commanded the Second and Third Inspection Zones.
General Director of Carabineros On 4 September 1944, President Juan Antonio Ríos appointed Maldonado General Director of Carabineros de Chile.
During his administration, the Carabineros Hospital was inaugurated on 27 April 1945, in a ceremony attended by President Ríos and United States ambassador Claude Bowers. The United States government had contributed equipment to the hospital.
Maldonado also introduced changes to police training by establishing instruction and professional development courses in the institution's inspection zones. These initiatives eventually led to the creation of regional training units. In addition, a statistical subsection was established within the General Directorate to collect information on crime, labour disputes, fires and other matters relevant to police operations.
He retired from Carabineros on 23 January 1947, with his tenure officially ending on 31 January.
Later career On 6 April 1947, Maldonado was elected a municipal councillor in Providencia. In December 1948, President Gabriel González Videla appointed him Chilean ambassador to Paraguay, a position he continued to hold during the administration of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo.
He died in Santiago, Chile, on 9 April 1978, aged 78.
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