Emilio Zapata Díaz

Emilio Zapata Díaz (11 May 1896 – 15 May 1977) was a Chilean trade unionist and politician who served as a deputy of the National Congress of Chile.

Biography Zapata Díaz was born in Santiago on 11 May 1896, the son of Delfín Zapata Campos and Ana Díaz Garrido. He married Graciela del Carmen Salas Pinto in Santiago on 23 February 1938, with whom he had two daughters.

Zapata worked as a laborer (obrero) and became active in the rural labor movement. He was a peasant trade union leader and, in 1935, founded the League of Poor Peasants (Liga de Campesinos Pobres). He was also a member of the National Housing Front (Frente Nacional de la Vivienda).

Political career In the early 1930s, Zapata was a member of the Communist Left movement (Izquierda Comunista). In 1937, he joined the Socialist Party of Chile.

In 1940, he left the Socialist Party, criticizing its participation in the government of President Pedro Aguirre Cerda. Along with other members of the same political current, he helped form the Workers’ Socialist Party (Partido Socialista de Trabajadores, PST). In 1943, he was expelled from the PST due to his refusal to join the Communist Party of Chile. He later returned to the Socialist Party.

Zapata was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of Chile representing the Seventh Departmental District of Santiago (Second District) for the parliamentary term 1933–1937, during which he served on the Standing Committee on National Defense.

He was re-elected for the same district for the term 1937–1941. During this period, he served as a substitute member of the Standing Committees on Internal Government; Constitution, Legislation and Justice; and Labor and Social Legislation.

Zapata Díaz died in Santiago on 15 May 1977.