Arturo Matte
Chilean politician (1893–1980)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arturo Matte Larraín (5 June 1893 – 9 April 1980) was a Chilean lawyer, educator, businessman, and politician affiliated with the Liberal Party.[1]
Arturo Matte Larraín | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 9 January 1951 – 15 May 1957 | |
| Preceded by | Arturo Alessandri Palma |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez |
| Constituency | 4th Provincial Group – Santiago |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 1 September 1943 – 6 October 1944 | |
| President | Juan Antonio Ríos |
| Preceded by | Guillermo del Pedregal |
| Succeeded by | Santiago Labarca |
| Mayor of Buin | |
| In office 1918–1923 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 June 1893 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | 9 April 1980 (aged 86) Santiago, Chile |
| Party | Liberal Party |
| Spouse |
Esther Alessandri Rodríguez
(m. 1918) |
| Children | Six |
| Parent(s) | Domingo Matte Pérez Javiera Larraín Bulnes |
| Relatives | Domingo Matte Larraín (brother) Luis Matte Larraín (brother) Benjamín Matte Larraín (brother) Arturo Alessandri (father-in-law) Rosa Rodríguez (mother-in-law) Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (brother-in-law) Máximo Pacheco Gómez (son-in-law) Magdalena Matte (granddaughter) |
| Education | University of Chile (LL.B.) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer, Businessman, Educator |
He served as Mayor of Buin (1918–1923), Minister of Finance (1943–1944) under President Juan Antonio Ríos, and Senator for Santiago (1951–1957).[2]
Biography
Family and education
Born in Santiago on 5 June 1893, he was the fourth of eleven children of businessman Domingo Matte Pérez and Javiera Larraín Bulnes, granddaughter of Manuel Bulnes and great-granddaughter of Francisco Antonio Pinto.
He studied at the Deutsche Schule Santiago and at the Instituto Nacional. He graduated from the University of Chile School of Law in 1916 with the thesis La Alianza Liberal de 1875.
He married Esther Alessandri Rodríguez, daughter of President Arturo Alessandri Palma and First Lady Rosa Rodríguez, on 18 May 1918. They had six children, among them writer Ester Matte Alessandri and publisher Arturo Matte Alessandri.
Professional career
Matte taught in night schools of the Sociedad de Instrucción Primaria and became its treasurer and one of its leading figures.
In business, he co-founded and chaired the Compañía de Acero del Pacífico (CAP) and the Compañía Manufacturera de Papeles y Cartones (CMPC) with his brother Luis Matte Larraín. He held executive positions in several companies and was active in agriculture, managing the San Miguel estate in Santa Clara, near Chillán.
Political career
He began political activity as president of the Law Student Center at the University of Chile and joined the Liberal Party. Elected Mayor of Buin (1918–1923), he later served as Minister of Finance (1943–1944) under Juan Antonio Ríos.
In the 1950 by-election following the death of his father-in-law Arturo Alessandri Palma, Matte won the Senate seat for Santiago, serving until 1957.
He was also a presidential candidate in the 1952 presidential election, in which he obtained 27.8% of the vote to finish second to Carlos Ibáñez del Campo.
He died in Santiago on 9 April 1980 at the age of 86.