Carlos Contreras Labarca

Carlos Contreras Labarca (25 February 1899 – 2 August 1982) was a Chilean lawyer and politician, militant of the Communist Party of Chile. He served as deputy, senator, and Minister of Public Works under President Gabriel González Videla.

Early life He was born in Bulnes on 25 February 1899, son of Pablo Contreras López and Carolina Labarca. He studied at the Liceo de Aplicación, then at the University of Chile, obtaining his law degree on 5 September 1924.

He married Claudina Acuña Montenegro; they had two children, Elena and Mario.

Political career While a student, Contreras joined the Communist Party of Chile, rising through its ranks and becoming Secretary General in 1931, a position he held until 1946.

In 1925 he was elected deputy for the 1st Departmental Circumscription (Pisagua and Tarapacá), for the 1926–1930 term. In 1937 he was again elected deputy (Arica, Pisagua, Iquique) and participated actively in commissions such as Constitution, Legislation and Justice, and Foreign Relations and Trade.

He became Senator for Santiago in 1941–1946. Later, under President Gabriel González Videla, he was appointed Minister of Public Works (3 November 1946–16 April 1947), then later elected Senator for the seats of Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue, Chiloé, Aysén and Magallanes in 1961–1969.

Later life and death After the proscription of the Communist Party in 1948 under the Ley de Defensa Permanente de la Democracia, Contreras was affected but managed to eventually return to Senate duties until 1969. He died in Santiago on 2 August 1982.