Francisco Javier Lira Merino

Francisco Javier Lira Merino (11 August 1918 – 15 November 1987) was a Chilean dentist, diplomat and politician affiliated first with the Agrario Laborista Party and later with the National Popular Party.

Early life He was born in Santiago de Chile to Francisco Javier Lira Montesinos and Celia Merino Maturana. He studied at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Santiago and later entered the Faculty of Dentistry at the Universidad de Chile, obtaining his degree as dentist in 1941.

He married Inés Bianchi Barros on 14 May 1943; the couple had nine children. He joined the Agrario Laborista Party in 1949, later entering the National Popular Party in 1958, becoming its president in 1960.

Parliamentary career Lira Merino was elected Deputy for the 7th Departamental Group of Santiago (1st District) in the 1953 parliamentary election, representing the Agrario Laborista Party. During his term (1953–1957) he served on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Diplomatic career He was appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Chile to Italy from 1956 to 1959. Later, under subsequent administrations, he served as Ambassador of Chile to Colombia between 1965 and 1970.