Héctor Rodríguez de la Sotta

Héctor Rodríguez de la Sotta (20 June 1887 – 27 August 1967) was a Chilean lawyer and conservative politician. He served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies, as a senator of the Republic, and as Minister of Agriculture between April and June 1932 under President Juan Esteban Montero. He was also a candidate in the 1932 Chilean presidential election, finishing third.

Biography He was born in Osorno on 20 June 1887, the son of Manuel Rodríguez Cisternas and Emilia de la Sotta.

He completed his primary education at the Seminary of Concepción and studied law at the Curso Fiscal de Leyes de Concepción, graduating as a lawyer in 1908.

Professional career He collaborated with the newspaper El Diario Ilustrado, publishing columns on economic and financial matters. He also pursued literary activities, authoring works such as Inflation and High Prices (1943), Either Capitalism or Communism (1952), and Private Property and Capital (1959).

Political career A member of the Conservative Party, he served as party president in 1925 and later as a member of its executive board. His wife, Carmela Olivares, founded the women’s section of the Conservative Party.

He served as Minister of Agriculture from 8 April to 5 June 1932, during the government of President Juan Esteban Montero.

In the 1925 parliamentary elections he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the 11th Departmental Grouping (Curicó, Santa Cruz and Vichuquén), serving the 1926–1930 term. During this period he served on the Finance Committee and chaired the Labor and Social Welfare Committee.

In the 1932 presidential election he was the Conservative Party’s candidate for president, finishing third with 47,207 votes, representing 13.76% of the total vote.

He was elected senator for the 5th Provincial Grouping (O'Higgins and Colchagua) in the 1932 parliamentary elections, serving the 1933–1937 term. Due to electoral adjustments following the 1932 coup d’état, this senatorial term lasted four years. He was subsequently re-elected for the 1937–1945 and 1945–1953 terms, serving on and chairing the Finance and Budget Committee, and also serving on the National Defense Committee and the Committee on Constitution, Legislation and Justice.

During his legislative career he sponsored bills that later became law, including legislation providing funds for the bicentennial celebration of the city of San Fernando.

After leaving the Senate, he was appointed as a member of the Council of the Central Bank of Chile.

Other activities He remained active in public and intellectual life after his parliamentary career until his death in Santiago on 27 August 1967.