Sercotec hosts first National Meeting of Free Market Leaders

Sercotec organized the first National Meeting of Free Market Leaders at the Lo Valledor wholesale market to celebrate National Street Vendor Day. The event brought together more than 200 leaders from across Chile to recognize career achievements and provide training opportunities for the sector.

Chilean Biminister of Economy, Development, Tourism, and Mining Daniel Mas and Sercotec General Manager Henry Azurmendi led the inauguration. The officials highlighted the economic significance of the 1,455 free markets in the country, which generate more than 440,000 jobs, noting a majority participation of women in this sector.

Minister Mas stated that supporting these markets aligns with government goals to increase economic activity and job creation. Azurmendi emphasized Sercotec’s ongoing work with vendor organizations, noting that in 2025, over 9,250 people across approximately one hundred free markets benefited from Sercotec development programs.