Pedro Iñiguez
Pedro Felipe Íñiguez Larraín (1873 – 14 November 1940) was a Chilean civil engineer and politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, as Minister of Industry, Public Works and Railways, and as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes.
He later represented Chile at the League of Nations.
Early life
Iñiguez Larraín was born in Santiago in 1873, the son of José Antonio Iñiguez Vicuña and Mercedes Larraín Alcalde. He attended the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Santiago and the Instituto Nacional before studying civil engineering at the University of Chile. He graduated in 1897, specializing in railway engineering.
While completing his university studies, Iñiguez joined the staff of the Santiago evening newspaper La Tarde in 1896. He subsequently entered Chile's diplomatic service and in 1898 was appointed second secretary of the Chilean legation in Paris, which was also accredited to Switzerland and the Holy See.
In 1900, he accompanied diplomat Alberto Blest Gana as secretary at the Latin American Congress held in Madrid. The following year, Iñiguez became Chilean chargé d'affaires in France.
He married Chilean sculptor Rebeca Matte Bello. Their only daughter, Lily Iñiguez Matte, died in Switzerland in 1926.
Political career
After returning to Chile, Iñiguez became active in the Liberal Doctrinario movement. Toward the end of President Ramón Barros Luco's administration, he was appointed Minister of Public Works and Railways, serving from 15 to 23 December 1915.
During his brief tenure at the ministry, Iñiguez signed the decree authorizing construction of the building that would house the National Library of Chile. He also presided over ceremonies marking the completion of the railway between Talca and Constitución, including the inauguration of the railway bridge near the mouth of the Maule River.
Under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes, Iñiguez served as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction from 20 November 1916 to 14 July 1917. While responsible for public education, he submitted a proposal to Congress for the establishment of 4,000 additional primary schools, intended to expand access to basic education. His tenure also saw the construction of several large school buildings in Santiago and other Chilean cities.
Iñiguez was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Caupolicán for the 1915–1918 legislative term. He served on the permanent committees for foreign relations and colonization and for public instruction.
He was subsequently elected deputy for La Laja, Nacimiento and Mulchén for the 1918–1921 term, during which he was a member of the permanent committee for foreign relations and colonization. In 1919, he travelled to the United Kingdom as an extraordinary envoy and minister plenipotentiary representing the Chilean parliament. During the mission, he addressed the House of Lords and also visited the House of Commons.
Later career
In November 1922, during a journey from Europe to Chile, Iñiguez accompanied the transportation of the Monument to the Heroes of La Concepción, a work created by his wife, Rebeca Matte.
In 1927, Iñiguez represented Chile at the League of Nations, where he participated in the organization's disarmament work. On 24 September of that year, he addressed a plenary session of the League to present the Chilean government's position.
Following the death of their daughter in Switzerland in September 1926, Iñiguez and his wife returned to Chile. They moved back to France in February 1929, and Matte died in Paris on 15 May of that year.
Iñiguez received several foreign decorations during his public career, including the French Legion of Honour, Spain's Order of Charles III, the Royal Victorian Order, and the Italian Order of the Crown of Italy. He was also associated with several Chilean social institutions, including the Club de la Unión, Club Hípico, Club de Viña del Mar and Círculo Naval de Valparaíso.
Iñiguez died in France on 14 November 1940.