Arturo Matte

Arturo Matte Larraín (5 June 1893 – 9 April 1980) was a Chilean lawyer, educator, businessman, and politician affiliated with the Liberal Party.

He served as Mayor of Buin (1918–1923), Minister of Finance (1943–1944) under President Juan Antonio Ríos, and Senator for Santiago (1951–1957).

Biography Family and education Born in Santiago on 5 June 1893, he was the fourth of eleven children of businessman Domingo Matte Pérez and Javiera Larraín Bulnes, granddaughter of Manuel Bulnes and great-granddaughter of Francisco Antonio Pinto. He studied at the German School of Santiago and at the Instituto Nacional. He graduated from the University of Chile School of Law in 1916 with the thesis La Alianza Liberal de 1875.

He married Esther Alessandri Rodríguez, daughter of President Arturo Alessandri Palma and First Lady Rosa Ester Rodríguez Velasco, on 18 May 1918. They had six children, among them writer Ester Matte Alessandri and publisher Arturo Matte Alessandri.

Professional career Matte taught in night schools of the Sociedad de Instrucción Primaria and became its treasurer and one of its leading figures.

In business, he co-founded and chaired the Compañía de Acero del Pacífico (CAP) and the Compañía Manufacturera de Papeles y Cartones (CMPC) with his brother Luis Matte Larraín. He held executive positions in several companies and was active in agriculture, managing the San Miguel estate in Santa Clara, near Chillán.

Political career He began political activity as president of the Law Student Center at the University of Chile and joined the Liberal Party. Elected Mayor of Buin (1918–1923), he later served as Minister of Finance (1943–1944) under Juan Antonio Ríos. In the 1950 by-election following the death of his father-in-law Arturo Alessandri Palma, Matte won the Senate seat for Santiago, serving until 1957. He was also a presidential candidate in the 1952 presidential election, in which he obtained 27.8% of the vote to finish second to Carlos Ibáñez del Campo.

He died in Santiago on 9 April 1980 at the age of 86.