César León Entralá

Joaquín César León Entralá (Santiago, 21 June 1892 – 1958) was a Chilean lawyer, farmer, politician, and diplomat. A close associate of President Arturo Alessandri, he served as Minister of Lands and Colonization during Alessandri's second administration, from September to December 1938.

Early life and education

León was born in Santiago on 21 June 1892, the son of civil servant Joaquín León Luco and Soledad Entralá Cervello. He had two siblings: Adolfo, a civil engineer who worked for the State Railway Company (EFE) and the Arica–La Paz railway, and was also the author of the "Irrigation Project for the Azapa Valley in Arica"; Adolfo married Elisa Puelma Cruchaga, with whom he had five children: Ana María, Carlos Adolfo, Hugo (an engineer, businessman, and business association leader who, among other positions, served as Minister of Public Works during the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet from 1975 to 1979), Elisa, and Soledad; and María Teresa.

On his father's side, León was also a nephew of César León Luco, a military officer who served in the Chilean Army during the War of the Pacific as a second lieutenant in the "Santiago Battalion". During the conflict, he was seriously wounded at the Battle of Miraflores, and retired from active service following the end of the war between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia in 1884. He rejoined the military with the rank of captain in 1891 during the civil war against President José Manuel Balmaceda, remaining in service until his final retirement in 1904 with the rank of major.

León was also a nephew of Ramón León Luco, a surgeon who likewise served during the War of the Pacific as a second surgeon in the Chilean Navy. He remained aboard warships throughout the campaign and participated in the battles of Chorrillos and Miraflores. Ramón León Luco was also a politician and, representing the National Party, served as deputy for Yungay during the 1909–1912 legislative term. He was also second vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies in October 1909. At the same time, he served as Minister of War and Navy from November 1909 to July 1910, under President Pedro Montt, and from January to July 1911, under President Ramón Barros Luco. He subsequently served as deputy for Collipulli and Mariluán from 1912 to 1915, and for Coelemu and Talcahuano from 1915 to 1918. Finally, he served as Minister of Industry, Public Works and Railways from 1916 to 1917 under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes. He also owned the "Ránquil" estate in the commune of Ránquil, the "Los Pinos" estate in Portezuelo, and wine cellars in the commune of Tomé.

León studied law at the University of Chile—with an intervening period of study in Germany— and at the Sorbonne in France, qualifying as a lawyer on 9 December 1919.

In 1924, he married Marta Puelma Coulons in Paris, France. The couple had one daughter, Marta.

Political career

César León Entralá with Marta Puelma Coulons on their wedding day. León began his career in 1910, at the age of eighteen, when he entered the public administration. He worked in several government ministries and became involved in politics as a member of the Liberal Party (PL).

On 23 January 1925, General Pedro Dartnell, then president of the Government Junta that had overthrown General Luis Altamirano Talavera—who had himself overthrown President Arturo Alessandri, also a Liberal—, appointed León simultaneously as Undersecretary of Development and Undersecretary of the Interior. As a result, he also simultaneously served as acting Minister of the Interior, leaving that position on 29 January under the subsequent provisional presidency of lawyer Emilio Bello Codesido, who was also a member of the Junta. He remained head of both undersecretariats until 20 March 1925, when Alessandri returned from exile and resumed the presidency.

On 16 April, Alessandri appointed León minister plenipotentiary of Chile to the Republic of Austria, based in Vienna, with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. He remained in the diplomatic post during the subsequent presidency of Emiliano Figueroa Larraín, leaving it in 1927. Immediately afterwards, he served as president of the Chilean delegation to the Penal Congress held in Stockholm, Sweden.

During Alessandri's second administration, León was again appointed Undersecretary of the Interior on 24 December 1932. He remained in the post until 15 September 1938, when he was appointed Minister of Lands and Colonization. Because he was ill at the time of his appointment, he formally assumed office two days later, after taking the required oath of office. He served as minister until the end of Alessandri's administration on 24 December 1938.

Among his other activities, León was involved in agriculture, operating the "Santa Marta" hacienda in Longotoma and the "El Mariscal" estate in San Bernardo. He was also a member of the Club de la Unión and the Club Hípico de Santiago.

León died in 1958, aged 66.