Juan de Dios Vial (politician, born 1851)
Juan de Dios Vial Guzmán (1851 – 20 February 1931) was a Chilean military officer and politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and as Minister of Finance under President José Manuel Balmaceda.
He later pursued a military career, becoming director of the Military School in 1897 and attaining the rank of general in 1908.
Early life
Vial was born in 1851 to Juan de Dios Vial Guzmán and Rosa Guzmán Guzmán. He married Clarencia Infante Concha in Santiago on 21 June 1871, with whom he had seven children.
He studied at the Colegio San Ignacio and later served as manager of the Banco Nacional Hipotecario.
Political career
A member of the Liberal Party, Vial represented Rancagua in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile from 1879 to 1882. He later served as substitute deputy for Santiago for the 1888–1891 legislative term, taking his seat on 21 June 1888.
Under President José Manuel Balmaceda, Vial served as Minister of Finance from 11 June to 11 July 1889. During the 1891 Chilean Civil War, however, he signed the congressional act deposing Balmaceda.
Vial served as undersecretary of the Ministry of War in 1891 and subsequently continued his military career. He became director of the Military School in 1897, held the rank of colonel by 1901 and was promoted to general in 1908. He retired from the Army in 1912.
Vial died in Viña del Mar on 20 February 1931.