Héctor Arancibia Laso
Héctor Arancibia Laso (20 February 1883 – 24 July 1970) was a Chilean politician who served as a minister.
A member of the Radical Party, Arancibia held several positions within the party, including secretary of its Central Board, and was active in its electoral and political organizations.
He also worked as a journalist, contributing to La Ley, El Mercurio, La Mañana and La Razón, and practised as a lawyer, particularly in the mining and nitrate industries.
Biography
He was born in Santiago on 20 February 1883, the son of Froilán Arancibia and Griselda Lazo de la Vega. He married Emma Urzúa Lavín in 1908, with whom he had two daughters, and later married María Mesías Urzúa.
He studied at the Liceo Miguel Luis Amunátegui and the Instituto Nacional, receiving his bachelor's degree in philosophy and humanities in 1900. He subsequently studied mining law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC) and law at the University of Chile. He received his law degree on 5 December 1905 and later taught mining law at the University of Chile.
Political career
Arancibia was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Santiago in 1912 and was reelected in 1915 and 1918, serving until 1921. During his three terms, he served on committees dealing with social legislation, elections, justice, internal administration and finance.
In 1921, he was elected to the Senate for Antofagasta for the 1921–1927 term, serving on the Agriculture, Industry and Railways and Budget committees. His term ended following the dissolution of Congress in September 1924. During his parliamentary career, he supported legislation concerning workers' conditions, physical education and sport.
He served as Minister of the Interior from 16 August to 3 November 1921. Outside Congress, he held positions in several public and private institutions, including the Santiago Stock Exchange, the nitrate industry and LAN. He was appointed director of the postal and telegraph service in 1943 and also served as president of the Electoral Certification Tribunal.
Arancibia was involved in mutual aid, charitable and educational organizations and was a member of the Sixth Company of the Santiago Fire Department, where he served as director and captain. He was also active in promoting sport and physical education, and in 1916 headed an official Chilean sporting delegation on a tour of South America.
He later pursued a diplomatic career, serving as Chilean ambassador to Mexico in 1947 and ambassador to Italy from 1947 to 1949. He died in Santiago on 24 July 1970.