Ricardo Valdés Bustamante
Ricardo Valdés Bustamante (1880 – 2 July 1951) was a Chilean stockbroker, journalist and politician.
A member of the Liberal Party, he represented Cautín Province in the Senate of Chile from 1920 to 1924 and briefly served as Minister of Finance under President Arturo Alessandri from December 1922 to January 1923.
Early life
Valdés was born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1880. His father was Chilean diplomat and politician Francisco Valdés Vergara, who was serving as Chile's chargé d'affaires in Colombia at the time of his birth. His mother, Angela Bustamante Zavalla, was of Bolivian origin.
He received his early education in Bogotá and later attended the Military Academy in Santiago. He obtained a bachelor's degree in humanities on 1 May 1899.
Valdés married Rosa Ramos Sarratea, with whom he had a daughter, Ema.
He pursued a career as a stockbroker and also became involved in journalism. Valdés developed an interest in economic and financial issues, subjects on which he wrote for the press and later addressed during his parliamentary career.
Political career
A member of the Liberal Party, Valdés supported Luis Barros Borgoño in the 1920 Chilean presidential election.
In 1920, Valdés was elected to the Senate for Cautín Province, filling the vacancy caused by the death of José María Valderrama. He took his seat on 7 October 1920 and completed the remainder of the 1918–1924 senatorial term.
During his time in the Senate, he served as a substitute member of the Permanent Commissions on Finance and Municipal Loans and on Public Works and Colonization. He later became a full member of the Finance and Municipal Loans Commission.
President Arturo Alessandri appointed Valdés Minister of Finance on 21 December 1922. He remained in office until 12 January 1923.
Valdés did not seek another parliamentary term after leaving the Senate. He subsequently returned to financial and journalistic activities, serving for a period as a shareholder and director of the Santiago Stock Exchange. He also contributed to newspapers including La Unión of Valparaíso, El Mercurio, La Nación and El Diario Ilustrado.
Valdés died in Santiago on 2 July 1951.