José Balmaceda Riera, the Chilean fertility doctor and father of Hollywood star Pedro Pascal, became entangled in one of the largest fertility scandals in United States history. The 1995 controversy involved allegations that 60 women had their eggs stolen, resulting in 15 known births. This reproductive endocrinologist’s journey spans from fleeing Chile as a political refugee to building a medical career in California, only to face federal indictment. This article explores José Pedro Balmaceda Riera’s early life in Santiago, his political exile during Pinochet’s dictatorship, the UCI fertility clinic scandal, and the lasting impact on Pedro Pascal’s family.
Who is José Balmaceda Riera? Early life and background
Born in Santiago, Chile in 1948
José Balmaceda Riera entered the world on August 22, 1948, in Santiago, Chile. The capital city would serve as the backdrop for his formative years, a period marked by both privilege and upheaval. Born into an educated family with deep roots in Chilean society, josé pedro balmaceda riera would eventually become known not only for his medical accomplishments but also as pedro pascal josé balmaceda riera’s father.
The year of his birth placed him in a generation that would witness dramatic political transformation. Chile in the late 1940s was transitioning through various governments, setting the stage for the turbulent decades ahead.
Family roots and parents
José’s lineage traced back to prominent Chilean and Spanish ancestry. His father, José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara, was born in 1914, while his mother, Juana (Juanita) Riera Bauzá, hailed from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. This Spanish connection would become a defining characteristic of the family’s heritage.
Juanita Riera Bauzá held another distinction beyond her marriage. She was the sister of Fernando Riera, a professional association football player and coach. José had at least two sisters, Ana María Balmaceda Riera and Teresa Paulina Balmaceda Riera, both of whom are now deceased.
The Balmaceda family belonged to Chile’s Castilian-Basque aristocratic circles. In fact, José descended from some of Chile’s most influential political dynasties. He was the seventh great-grandson of Mateo de Toro Zambrano and related to the aristocratic Alessandri, Allende, and Balmaceda families. These connections extended to key figures in Chilean politics, including being the great-nephew of Laura Allende, a politician and sister of Salvador Allende, who would later become President of Chile. José was also the second cousin of Denise Pascal, a Socialist Party politician, and Andrés Pascal Allende, a sociologist and former Secretary General of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left.
Growing up during political turmoil
José’s childhood and adolescence unfolded during increasingly chaotic times. Military dictatorship and political tensions created an environment where citizens faced constant difficulties. The country oscillated between democratic governments and authoritarian pressures, creating uncertainty for families across all social classes.
His upbringing in an educated household provided some insulation from the worst effects of instability. However, inasmuch as his family maintained connections to progressive political movements, they could not remain entirely separate from the brewing conflict. This environment would eventually force José and his young family to make desperate choices.
Path to becoming a fertility doctor
José demonstrated remarkable intelligence from a young age. His ambition crystallized early: he dreamed of becoming a doctor and channeled all efforts toward academics. After completing his schooling at an institution in Santiago, he pursued higher education at a medical college.
Medical school proved transformative. José developed an intense focus on reproductive medicine, dedicating himself to research papers during his college years. His studies concentrated specifically on reproduction stages, embryo development, and hormone cycles. This specialized research laid the groundwork for his future career trajectory in fertility medicine.
Subsequently, this academic foundation positioned him to become a reproductive endocrinologist. The expertise he cultivated would eventually lead him to the United States, where he would build a reputation in the emerging field of fertility treatment. His profession as a fertility doctor would later move his family from Texas to California, though the circumstances surrounding that relocation remained years away from the young medical student pursuing his dreams in Santiago.
Political exile: Fleeing Chile during Pinochet’s dictatorship
Opposition to the Augusto Pinochet regime
Two years before Pedro Pascal’s birth in 1975, General Augusto Pinochet overthrew Chile’s democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende in a military coup. The violent takeover transformed the country into a military dictatorship. José Balmaceda Riera and his wife Verónica Pascal Ureta found themselves on the wrong side of the new regime’s political divide.
Both parents were listed as enemies of the state by Pinochet’s government. While neither José nor Verónica considered themselves revolutionaries, they maintained connections with those actively opposing the dictatorship. Verónica’s cousin was deeply involved in the opposition movement.
Their fate was sealed when a priest arrived at their home one night with a gunshot victim who needed immediate medical attention. José, working as a resident at a local hospital, agreed to treat the wounded man. The couple made another fateful decision: they would hide the anti-Pinochet revolutionary in their home. When authorities discovered and arrested the man, they came looking for José and Verónica.
The Balmaceda family represented just one story among thousands. More than 500,000 Chileans voluntarily left or were forced to flee during the economic and political crisis that followed the coup. Exile became central to Pinochet’s strategy for eliminating the left and consolidating absolute political power.
Seeking asylum at the Venezuelan embassy
José pedro balmaceda riera and Verónica went into hiding for six months after authorities began searching for them. Their infant son Pedro was only nine months old when the family finally sought refuge at the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago. Venezuela maintained a tradition of accepting Chilean political exiles, ultimately providing asylum to approximately 24,000 Chileans fleeing the dictatorship.
The family spent six months inside the embassy walls. Pedro balmaceda, as he was known at birth, remained with his parents throughout this tense period.
Journey through Denmark to the United States
Political asylum in Denmark came next. The Scandinavian country served as a temporary refuge for the Balmaceda family before they could secure permanent resettlement. Denmark, along with other European nations, actively accepted Chilean refugees during this period.
In June 1975, the United States launched the Special Parole Program for Chilean Refugees. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger explained multiple reasons for the program, including humanitarian need and pressure from religious organizations. The U.S. made 400 refugee visas available to Chilean political prisoners.
The Balmaceda family eventually received permission to immigrate to the United States. They settled in San Antonio, Texas, where josé balmaceda riera would need to rebuild his medical career from scratch.
Starting over in San Antonio and California
José had been a fertility doctor in Chile, a man of standing and security. In America, he had to rebuild everything from nothing. The family spoke Spanish at home and English everywhere else.
San Antonio became their new home. José and Verónica, still young, immersed themselves in American culture. They attended movies, rock concerts, and Spurs basketball games. These activities helped the family adapt to their adopted country.
Years later, when Pedro finished fifth grade, josé pedro balmaceda riera received a job offer in California. The family relocated to Orange County. Pedro was eleven years old when they made this final move. The refugee family had traveled from Santiago to the Venezuelan embassy, through Denmark, across Texas, and finally to California’s southern coast.
Medical career and the UCI fertility scandal
Building a reputation as a fertility specialist
José Balmaceda Riera established himself as a reproductive endocrinologist at the University of California, Irvine, where he served as co-director of the fertility clinic. His decades of experience encompassed early reproduction stages, embryo development, and hormone cycles. The Chilean refugee had successfully rebuilt his medical career after fleeing Pinochet’s regime.
At UC Irvine, josé pedro balmaceda riera worked closely with Dr. Ricardo Asch and Dr. Sergio Stone. Asch had moved to the United States from Argentina in the 1970s, while Balmaceda brought his expertise from Chile. The two doctors first met at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where their collaboration would produce significant advancements in reproductive medicine.
The groundbreaking GIFT procedure
In 1984, Asch and Balmaceda pioneered a fertilization technique called GIFT, or gamete intrafallopian transfer. The procedure involved extracting an egg from a patient’s ovary, then placing that egg and sperm into one of the patient’s fallopian tubes via laparoscopic surgery. Fertilization occurred naturally inside the woman’s body, as opposed to in vitro fertilization, which fertilized eggs outside the body before implantation.
GIFT represented a major breakthrough in fertility medicine. The technique appeared to offer better success rates than early IVF procedures. Moreover, the Vatican approved GIFT as the only acceptable assisted reproductive technology because it mimicked traditional insemination. Pope John Paul II endorsed the method while forbidding almost every other fertility treatment.
In 1986, Sergio Stone recruited Asch and Balmaceda to UC Irvine to establish their own clinic. The university invested substantially, bringing not only the two doctors but their entire team of embryologists and technologists. The clinic quickly gained international recognition for its fertility work.
Allegations of stolen eggs and embryos in 1995
In May 1995, the Orange County Register broke a story that would destroy the clinic’s reputation. The newspaper reported that Asch, Balmaceda, and Stone had taken women’s eggs without permission and implanted them in other women. At least 15 live births resulted from the improper transfers. Reporting eventually revealed that as many as 60 women had their eggs stolen.
The allegations extended beyond egg theft. An audit determined that nearly $1 million in clinic income had not been reported. This included tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments from patients allegedly pocketed by the doctors. While stealing human tissue was not classified as a crime at that time, the financial misconduct fell under federal jurisdiction.
A federal grand jury indicted Asch, Balmaceda, and Stone on multiple charges of mail fraud and income tax evasion. The UCI Center for Reproductive Health shut down in June 1995.
Fleeing back to Chile and legal consequences
During the summer of 1995, as FBI investigations intensified, Asch and pedro pascal josé balmaceda riera left the country. José returned to Chile with his wife and two younger children. Stone remained in California to face charges. He was convicted in 1997 and fined $50,000.
Patients filed more than 150 lawsuits. The university paid out more than $27 million in settlements. Balmaceda resumed his fertility practice in Chile, working at Clinica Las Condes near the Andes Mountains.
Nearly three decades later, in 2022, nicolás balmaceda pascal’s father returned to the United States. Balmaceda’s surrender resulted from negotiations between prosecutors and his attorney. He appeared in federal court in Santa Ana and agreed to plead guilty to tax fraud. He admitted under-reporting his taxes in 1991 and 1992 as part of a scheme involving unreported cash from clients. He was released on a $750,000 bond.
Family life: Marriage to Verónica Pascal Ureta and their children
Meeting and marrying Verónica Pascal Ureta
Verónica Pascal Ureta was born in 1953 and trained as a child psychologist. She belonged to Chile’s influential Allende family, as the cousin of Andrés Pascal Allende, a revolutionary leader and nephew of President Salvador Allende. José and Verónica married while still young, evidently drawn together by shared liberal values during Chile’s turbulent political climate.
The couple had their first child, daughter Javiera, in 1972. Three years later, on April 2, 1975, they welcomed their son José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal in Santiago. Pedro was born during one of Chile’s darkest periods, just two years after Pinochet’s coup.
Four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás, and Lux Pascal
After the family received political asylum and settled in the United States, josé pedro balmaceda riera and Verónica expanded their family. Their son Nicolás Balmaceda Pascal was born in 1987. Five years later, in 1992, they welcomed their youngest child, Lux Balmaceda Pascal. The 17-year age gap between Pedro and Lux created distinct generational experiences within the family.
Javiera pursued a career as a television and film producer, eventually becoming Head of Local Originals for Latin America at Amazon MGM Studios. Nicolás chose medicine, pursuing a PhD in pediatric neurology. Lux graduated from Juilliard School and became an actress and transgender activist.
The family’s separation after returning to Chile
In 1995, josé balmaceda riera returned to Chile with Verónica and their two youngest children, nicolás balmaceda pascal and Lux. Pedro remained in the United States, enrolled at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts to pursue acting. The geographic split fractured the family unit permanently.
José and Verónica separated sometime after their return to Chile. The marital breakdown occurred amid the scandal’s aftermath and the stress of repatriation.
Verónica’s tragic death in 1999
On February 4, 1999, Verónica Pascal Ureta died by suicide at age 46. Pedro was 24 years old. He later described this period to La Tercera: “For me, it was the hardest time. I haven’t been able, and I don’t know if I can one day, completely reconcile how my parents separated and the tragedy that came after that separation”.
The lasting impact on Pedro Pascal’s life and career
How the scandal shaped Pedro’s childhood
Pedro was studying at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts when josé balmaceda riera became embroiled in the fertility clinic investigation. The young actor described the experience as a period of great fear. He told La Tercera in 2017: “I grew up with my family in the U.S., and one day to the next, there was no longer a home to return to. Suddenly, the idea of the safe nest had disappeared. It was shocking because, in the previous years, I took for granted the privileged life we had in California”.
Taking his mother’s surname professionally
After Verónica’s death, pedro balmaceda made a deliberate choice. He changed his professional surname from Balmaceda to Pascal. The decision honored his mother’s memory. Pedro explained: “My mom named me Pedro. So, the decision was made to call me Pedro Pascal, a name that fits me more than any other”.
José’s supportive presence at Pedro’s major events
Despite past controversy, josé pedro balmaceda riera remains a supportive presence. He accompanied Pedro to the November 2024 London premiere of Gladiator II. In February 2023, Pedro thanked his parents during his Saturday Night Live monolog, stating: “They were so brave, and without them, I wouldn’t be here in this wonderful country, and I certainly wouldn’t be standing here with you all tonight”.
The family’s journey from refugees to Hollywood success
José expressed pride during a 2021 interview, noting Pedro’s persistence through difficult auditions and rejections. The actor’s career accelerated after 2014’s Game of Thrones role, transforming the refugee family’s story into Hollywood success.
Also Read: Deborah Jennifer Stern
Conclusion
José Balmaceda Riera’s life represents a complicated legacy of brilliance and controversy. The fertility doctor who fled political persecution in Chile later became central to one of America’s most notorious medical scandals. His family endured multiple upheavals, from seeking asylum at the Venezuelan embassy to losing Verónica to tragedy.
By and large, the Balmaceda Pascal family’s resilience stands as their defining characteristic. Pedro’s decision to honor his mother through her surname reflects the profound impact these events had on his identity. José ultimately faced accountability by returning to plead guilty in 2022, closing a chapter that spanned nearly three decades. The family’s transformation from political refugees to celebrated Hollywood figures illustrates the complex nature of redemption and perseverance.
FAQs
Q1. Why did Pedro Pascal’s family leave Chile? Pedro Pascal’s parents, José Balmaceda Riera and Verónica Pascal Ureta, were forced to flee Chile due to their opposition to Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship. After hiding a wounded anti-Pinochet revolutionary in their home, they were listed as enemies of the state. When Pedro was just nine months old, the family sought asylum at the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago before eventually immigrating to the United States.
Q2. What was José Balmaceda Riera’s profession? José Balmaceda Riera was a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist. He co-directed the fertility clinic at the University of California, Irvine, where he pioneered the GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) procedure in 1984 alongside Dr. Ricardo Asch. This groundbreaking technique represented a major advancement in fertility medicine at the time.
Q3. How is Pedro Pascal connected to Salvador Allende? Pedro Pascal comes from a politically prominent Chilean family with direct connections to President Salvador Allende. He is the great-nephew of Laura Allende, who was Salvador Allende’s sister and a politician. Additionally, Pedro is the second cousin of Andrés Pascal Allende, a sociologist and former Secretary General of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left.
Q4. Why did Pedro Pascal change his surname professionally? After his mother Verónica Pascal Ureta’s tragic death in 1999, Pedro chose to adopt his mother’s surname professionally, changing from Balmaceda to Pascal. He explained that his mother had named him Pedro, and the name “Pedro Pascal” felt more fitting to him than any other, serving as a way to honor her memory.
Q5. What happened with the UCI fertility clinic scandal? In 1995, José Balmaceda Riera and his colleagues were accused of taking women’s eggs without permission and implanting them in other patients, resulting in at least 15 births. The doctors were also indicted for mail fraud and tax evasion involving nearly $1 million in unreported clinic income. Balmaceda fled to Chile but returned in 2022 to plead guilty to tax fraud charges.
