Armando Mallet

Armando Mallet Simonetti (30 November 1915 – 28 May 1957) was a Chilean lawyer, professor, and politician affiliated with the Socialist Party of Chile.

He served as Deputy of the Republic for the 6th Departmental Grouping – Valparaíso and Quillota – during the legislative periods 1953–1957 and 1957, and held ministerial office under President Gabriel González Videla.

Biography Armando Mallet was born in Valparaíso on 30 November 1915, the son of Alberto Mallet and Josefina Simonetti. He married María Luisa Señoret Guevara, with whom he had one daughter, María Luisa Mallet Señoret.

He completed his secondary studies at the Colegio de los Agustinos and the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones in Valparaíso, where he later enrolled in the institution's law program. He was sworn in as a lawyer on 20 May 1944, after defending his thesis «Family Allowances».

Professional and political career Mallet began his career as legal advisor for the Caja de Previsión de los Empleados Particulares, serving as its administrator in Talca in 1940. He later became secretary general of the Dirección Superior de Previsión Social, delegate to the Caja de la Marina Mercante, and counselor of the Caja de Accidentes del Trabajo.

In 1946, he was appointed Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare, and Social Assistance. Later, President Gabriel González Videla appointed him Minister of Public Education, a position he held from 22 July 1948 to 7 February 1950.

He was a member of the Socialist Party of Chile, president of the Federation of Students of Valparaíso, and a member of the Executive Council of the Federation of Private Employees’ Institutions (FIEP).

Parliamentary career Mallet was elected Deputy for the 6th Departmental Grouping of Valparaíso and Quillota for the legislative period 1953–1957, and re-elected for the 1957–1961 period. During his first term, he served on the Permanent Commissions of Finance and of Internal Government, Police, and Regulations.

He died in office on 28 May 1957, and was succeeded by Dr. Alonso Zumaeta, who was sworn in on 27 August of the same year.

Academic and international activities Mallet taught at the University of Chile, where he was assistant professor of Civil Law and lecturer in Labor Law in 1945.

He directed the Revista de los Sagrados Corazones and served as president of the Law Academy of the same institution. He represented Chile at the Inter-American Congress of Social Security (Santiago, 1943), the International Tripartite Health Conference (Lima, 1946), and the UNESCO International Congress (Paris, 1951).

He died in Santiago on 28 May 1957, while serving as Deputy of the Republic.