Eleazar Lezaeta Acharán

Eleazar Lazaeta Acharán (18 July 1870 – 22 April 1942) was a Chilean civil engineer and politician. He served as a deputy representing Coelemu, Talcahuano and Concepción during the 1930–1934 legislative period.

Lazaeta was a founding member of the Instituto de Ingenieros de Chile and served multiple terms on its board. He was also a director and later permanent member of the Sociedad Nacional de Minería.

He was a member and honorary member of the Club de la Unión.

Biography Lazaeta was born in Valdivia, Chile, on 18 July 1870, the son of Eleazar Lezaeta Roldán and Mercedes Acharán Adriazola. He married Elena Barriga Silva, and the couple had two children.

He studied at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones between 1880 and 1887, later at the Instituto Nacional, and subsequently at the University of Chile, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. He also attended the École des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris as an auditor between 1888 and 1890. He qualified as a civil engineer in the hydraulic section on 8 October 1904.

Lazaeta held numerous positions in public works and engineering. He served as hydraulic engineer in the Dirección General de Obras Públicas in 1895, later as head of the bridges subsection in 1896, and as head engineer of the railway section between 1898 and 1902. In 1901 he was acting director of public works.

He participated in commissions related to sanitation works in Concepción, irrigation projects such as the Laja Canal, and studies on public works administration in Europe. He also worked as consultant engineer and administrator of irrigation works at Cerro San Cristóbal in Santiago.

He developed an extensive career in mining and business, serving as manager and director of several tin companies in Bolivia, including Llallagua, Marta, María Francisca, Yaco and Huanchaca de Inquisivi. He was also associated with the Sociedad Minera de Oruro and the Caja de Crédito Salitrero.

He was president of the insurance company La Providencia and later worked as consulting engineer and administrator of Cerro San Cristóbal in 1937.

In academia, he was professor of engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile from 1894 to 1920 and served as dean of its Faculty of Engineering for twenty years.

Political career He was elected deputy for Caupolicán for the 1915–1918 and 1918–1921 legislative periods.

He was later elected deputy for Coelemu, Talcahuano and Concepción for the 1930–1934 legislative period, serving on the Permanent Commission on Roads and Public Works.

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

He died in Santiago, Chile, on 22 April 1942.