Fernando Ochagavía Valdés

Fernando Ochagavía Valdés (26 July 1928 – 10 September 2003) was a Chilean agricultural engineer and politician, member of the National Party, who served as deputy and senator of the Republic.

Early life He was the son of Fernando Ochagavía Hurtado and Blanca Valdés Vial. In 1951 he married Alicia Ruiz-Tagle Decombe.

He studied at Colegio San Jorge and at Colegio San Ignacio. He later entered the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where he graduated as agricultural engineer in 1951. After graduation he managed the farm “Trebulco” in Talagante, and founded a fruit exporting company.

Political career Ochagavía began his political career as a member of the Conservative Party in 1953. That year he was elected councilor of Talagante, later serving as its mayor between 1955 and 1960.

In 1961 he was elected deputy for Ancud, Quinchao, Castro and Palena, serving until 1969. During his legislative work he was part of the permanent commissions of Agriculture and Colonization, Economy and Trade, and Public Works. He also represented Chile at the 3rd Interparliamentary American Conference held in Washington, D.C. in 1964.

Between 1965 and 1966 he was an independent deputy and member of the Independent Parliamentary Committee. In 1966 he co-founded the National Party.

In 1969 he was elected senator for Chiloé, Aysén and Magallanes, integrating the commissions of Constitution, Legislation, Justice and Regulations; Public Education; National Defense; and Public Works. He also represented Chile at an Interparliamentary Meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1972 he became vice president of the Federación Nacional-Democracia Radical, part of the Confederation of Democracy (CODE).

In 1973 he was reelected senator for the same constituency, this time serving in the commissions of Finance, Economy and Trade, Labor and Social Welfare, and Internal Affairs. His mandate was interrupted by the coup d’état of 11 September 1973.

During the military regime he collaborated in economic and agricultural matters and became president of the National Agriculture Society. With the return of democracy he joined National Renewal and later took part in the presidential campaigns of Hernán Büchi (1989) and Arturo Alessandri Besa (1993).

He died in September 2003, at the age of 75.