Guillermo Pinto Agüero
Guillermo Pinto Agüero (28 January 1869 – 1908) was a Chilean lawyer, politician and diplomat who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction under President Germán Riesco.
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he represented several constituencies in the Chamber of Deputies between 1897 and 1907 and later served as Chilean minister plenipotentiary in Latin America.
Early life
Pinto was born in Chillán on 28 January 1869 to former military officer and parliamentarian José Manuel Pinto Arias and Flora Agüero Asenjo. He married Luisa Viel.
He studied at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones and the Instituto Nacional before studying law at the University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer on 31 May 1890.
During the War of the Pacific, Pinto temporarily interrupted his studies to undertake an official commission in Lima. He entered the Ministry of the Navy at the age of sixteen and subsequently held several positions in its administration, eventually becoming an undersecretary of state. He later served as secretary general of the General Naval Command, head of a ministry section, and professor of law at the Naval School.
At the outbreak of the 1891 Chilean Civil War, Pinto was serving as undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice. Following the defeat of President José Manuel Balmaceda, he left the public administration and devoted himself to his legal practice, journalism and political activities. He wrote for La República and served on the editorial staff of La Nueva Revolución.
Political career
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Pinto was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Lebu, Cañete and Arauco for the 1897–1900 legislative term. He served as a substitute member of the permanent committee for constitution, legislation and justice, as a member of the war and navy committee, and on the Conservative Commission during the 1899–1900 parliamentary recess.
Pinto was elected deputy for Illapel, Ovalle and Combarbalá for the 1900–1903 term. During this period, he served on the permanent committees for government, internal police and public works, as a substitute member of the foreign relations committee, and on the Conservative Commission during the 1902–1903 recess.
In 1903, he was elected deputy for Cauquenes and Constitución for the 1903–1906 legislative term. He served as second vice president of the Chamber of Deputies from 3 June 1904 to 14 October 1905 and as first vice president from 14 to 31 October 1905. He also served on the permanent committees for industry and public works and on the Conservative Commission during the 1903–1904 recess.
During the presidency of Germán Riesco, Pinto was appointed Minister of Justice and Public Instruction on 21 October 1905, remaining in office until 19 March 1906.
In his ministerial capacity, Pinto participated in the enactment of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which was approved by Law No. 1,853 and promulgated with his signature in 1906.
Pinto was reelected to the Chamber of Deputies for Cauquenes, Constitución and Chanco for the 1906–1909 term. He served on the permanent committee for government and colonization and on the Conservative Commission during the 1906–1907 parliamentary recess.
He left the Chamber in 1907 after being appointed minister plenipotentiary to Ecuador, Colombia and Central America on 15 October of that year. Pedro García de la Huerta Izquierdo succeeded him as deputy.
Pinto died in Bolivia in 1908 while serving as minister plenipotentiary. His remains were subsequently repatriated to Chile.