Manuel García de la Huerta Pérez

Manuel García de la Huerta Pérez

Manuel García de la Huerta Pérez (1837 – 9 June 1889) was a Chilean lawyer and Liberal politician. He served twice as Minister of War and Navy, as Minister of Justice, Worship and Public Instruction, and as president of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile. He was also a deputy and senator for several terms.

Education

García de la Huerta was born in Santiago in 1837, the son of Pedro Vicente García de la Huerta Saravia and Perpetua Pérez Mascayano. Through his mother, he was a nephew of President José Joaquín Pérez. He married Ceferina Izquierdo Urmeneta, with whom he had three surviving sons, Manuel, Pedro and Carlos.

He studied at the Instituto Nacional before entering the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer on 6 May 1861 and subsequently practiced his profession in Santiago.

Political career

García de la Huerta joined the Liberal Party at an early age. He was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Chile as deputy for Quinchao for the 1864–1867 legislative term. After several years outside Congress, he returned as deputy for Santiago for the 1876–1879 term and served as first vice president of the Chamber from 17 November 1876 to 6 November 1877.

Under President Aníbal Pinto, García de la Huerta was appointed Minister of War and Navy on 27 October 1877, succeeding Belisario Prats Pérez. He remained in office until 5 August 1878, when he was succeeded by General Cornelio Saavedra Rodríguez.

He was elected deputy for Angol for the 1879–1882 term. During the War of the Pacific, he returned to the cabinet as Minister of Justice, Worship and Public Instruction on 16 June 1880. He held that portfolio until 2 February 1881, with several brief interruptions. At the same time, he repeatedly served as acting Minister of War and Navy between 16 June 1880 and 13 April 1881.

García de la Huerta was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies on 19 November 1881 and remained in the position until 29 May 1882. Later that year, he was appointed a councillor of state.

In 1882, he was elected senator for Santiago for the 1882–1888 term. In the Senate, he served on the Permanent Commissions on Government and Foreign Relations and on War and Navy, and was a member of the Conservative Commission during the 1885–1886 congressional recess.

Under President José Manuel Balmaceda, García de la Huerta again served as Minister of War and Navy, from 28 June 1887 to 12 April 1888. He succeeded Nicolás Peña and was followed by Evaristo Sánchez Fontecilla.

He was reelected senator for Santiago for the 1888–1894 term and continued to serve on the Permanent Commission on Government and Foreign Relations. He was also a member of the Conservative Commission for the 1888–1889 recess.

García de la Huerta died in Santiago on 9 June 1889, shortly after beginning his second senatorial term.