Gustavo Arqueros

Gustavo Arqueros Rodríguez (4 December 1889 – 1958) was a Chilean military officer, contractor, and politician who served as Intendant of the province of Coquimbo between 1953 and 1954.

Biography Arqueros Rodríguez was born in La Serena on 4 December 1889, the son of Jacinto Arqueros and Ercilia Rodríguez.

He studied at the Seminary of La Serena and later at the Arturo Prat Naval Academy, graduating as an officer in 1911. He left the Navy due to health problems and began working as a draftsman in the Hydraulics Section of the Public Works Directorate. After settling in La Serena, he worked independently as a sewer-construction contractor.

In 1927 he was elected Mayor of La Serena for a four-year term. He subsequently focused on unifying pisco producers, creating the Control Office and promoting the legislation that ultimately established the denomination of origin for pisco. He also encouraged cooperativism as the basis for the current agro-fruit cooperative system in the region.

He served as Deputy for the area during the 1949–1953 legislative period. He was appointed Intendant of the province of Coquimbo on 29 October 1953 and remained in office until 8 June 1954, resuming his professional activities thereafter.

He founded the local cooperative and later the southern market of La Serena. As a farmer, he operated the estate of Alcohuaz.

Arqueros Rodríguez died in La Serena in 1958.