Chile's Maule Sports Secretary Francisca Mardones received over $10 million in state scholarships while serving
Transparency records show that Francisca Mardones, the regional sports secretary (seremi) of Chile's Maule region, continued to receive the Instituto Nacional de Deportes (IND) Proddar scholarship and related benefits while drawing her salary as a government official. Payments between March and June 2026 totalled more than $10 million, including a $3,897,541 transfer in June, a $512,000 Sala Cuna benefit, a $305,670 AFP complement, and other smaller disbursements. Her monthly salary as seremi was $4,554,112.
The continuation of the scholarship was verbally approved by Sports Ministry minister Natalia Duco, who had herself renounced the Proddar scholarship before assuming her ministerial role. Mardones defended the overlapping payments by citing delayed salary payments, family needs, and preparation for a September tournament, although public records indicate her salary had been paid in full. She formally renounced the Proddar scholarship on 2 June 2026.
Entities: Francisca Mardones Sepúlveda · Instituto Nacional de Deportes (IND) · Maule Region · Ministry of Sports (Chile) · Natalia Duco
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] All of Mardones' seremi salaries were paid in full, with no gaps. (IND information contradicts claims of unpaid salary.)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Natalia Duco had renounced the Proddar scholarship before assuming the ministerial role. (The first article notes the minister's prior renunciation.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Minister Natalia Duco authorized Mardones to keep the Proddar scholarship while serving as seremi. (Both articles cite verbal approval from the minister.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mardones earned a monthly salary of $4,554,112 as seremi of Maule. (Salary figure was disclosed by the Subsecretaría del Deporte.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mardones received a $512,000 Sala Cuna benefit from the IND. ($512,000 was listed as a Sala Cuna benefit in the payment records.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mardones received a $305,670 AFP complementary benefit from the IND. ($305,670 AFP benefit appears in the payment breakdown.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Francisca Mardones received more than $10 million in IND scholarships and benefits while serving as seremi of Maule. (over $10 million in payments were documented between March and June 2026.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The IND transferred $3,897,541 to Mardones as part of the Proddar scholarship in June 2026. (A June transfer of $3,897,541 was recorded by the IND.)