Héctor Ríos Igualt

Héctor Ríos Igualt (16 March 1919 – 26 September 2011) was a Chilean lawyer, farmer, and conservative politician. Ríos served as Deputy of the Republic for the 5th Departmental Grouping (San Felipe, Petorca and Los Andes) between 1953 and 1961, representing the Traditionalist Conservative Party and later the United Conservative Party.

Early life and education Ríos was born on 16 March 1919 in Valparaíso to José Manuel Ríos, a lawyer and politician, and Ema Igualt Urenda.

He completed his primary and secondary studies at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Valparaíso-Viña del Mar, where he also undertook preliminary law courses.

He graduated as a lawyer on 4 November 1942 with the thesis "Los empréstitos públicos". He later pursued advanced legal studies at the University of Chile and the University of Madrid, Spain.

He married Gloria Larraín Fernández, with whom he had eleven children.

Professional career Ríos Igualt practiced law in Santiago, serving as attorney for the Comunidad Agrícola Santa Rosa in Los Andes. He held directorial positions at the insurance company La Chilena Consolidada and at Organización Kappés, and also participated in the Compañía Consorcio Nacional de Seguros S.A.

Political career During his student years, in May 1944, he became president of the Juventud de Acción Católica de Chile (Catholic Action Youth of Chile).

He was an active member of the Traditionalist Conservative Party and later of the United Conservative Party, serving on the latter’s national board.

Elected deputy in the 1953 election for the 5th Departmental Grouping (San Felipe, Petorca, and Los Andes), he served on the Permanent Commission of Public Education. Re-elected in 1957, he again joined the same commission and presided over it during his final term (1957–1961).

After leaving Congress, he devoted himself to agricultural production, managing his estate La Gloria in the commune of Los Andes, mainly focused on fruit growing.

In 1970, Ríos Igualt moved to Spain, where he practiced law in Madrid, Almería, and Granada until returning to Chile in 1997. He was a founding member of the Hogar de Cristo, and belonged to both the Club de La Unión and the Automóvil Club de Chile.

Death He died in Santiago on 26 September 2011 at 93 years of age.