Arturo Ruiz de Gamboa

Arturo Ruiz de Gamboa Silva (2 July 1882 – ?) was a Chilean lawyer, businessman and politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a deputy representing constituencies in the Aconcagua Region during the early twentieth century.

Early life and education Ruiz de Gamboa was born in Talca on 2 July 1882, the son of Manuel Ruiz de Gamboa and Amalia Silva. He married Raquel Cariola.

He studied at the Instituto Nacional and later law at the University of Chile and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer on 28 December 1901 with a thesis titled El ahorro.

Professional career He worked as a lawyer specializing in matters related to the nitrate industry. In 1903 he joined the law office of the prominent Conservative politician Carlos Walker Martínez, where he remained until Walker's death in 1905.

From 1923 he was a partner, and from 1930 owner, of the commercial firm Pelegrín Cariola in Valparaíso, engaged in groceries, agricultural products, commercial representations and imports.

Ruiz de Gamboa also worked as a journalist. He served as chief editor of La Unión and El Diario Popular, and earlier wrote for El Porvenir of Santiago. In 1904 he published a literary critical study on the work Roma by Rafael Errázuriz Urmeneta, which was translated into Italian and published in Italian journals.

He was a member of the Board for the Defense of the Port of Valparaíso and later held various positions in commercial and industrial institutions. In 1931 he served as president of the Central Chamber of Commerce of Valparaíso. In 1942 he became president of the Salinas Punta de Lobos Company and of the Sociedad Matadero Modelo de Valparaíso, as well as director of the Compañía Sudamericana de Vapores and the nitrate company Perfetti. That same year he founded and directed the insurance company La Providencia.

In 1932 he was sent as special envoy to Peru to negotiate a commercial treaty.

Political career Ruiz de Gamboa was a member of the Conservative Party. He was first elected deputy for the constituency of Petorca and La Ligua for the 1918–1921 legislative period, serving as substitute member of the Permanent Commissions on Government and on War and Navy.

He was later re-elected deputy for the Fifth Departamental Grouping (Petorca, La Ligua, Putaendo, San Felipe and Los Andes) for the 1930–1934 legislative period. During this term he served on the Permanent Commissions on Legislation and Justice and on Industry and Commerce.

The 1932 Chilean coup d'état led to the dissolution of the National Congress on 6 June of that year.