Héctor Valenzuela Valderrama

Héctor Valenzuela Valderrama (1923–1978) was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and politician.

He served as Deputy for the 7th Departamental Group during the XLV Legislative Period (1965–1969) and the XLVI Legislative Period (1969–1973), presiding over the Chamber of Deputies in 1969.

Early life He was born in Santiago on 21 October 1923, the son of Luis Alberto Valenzuela Labbé and Josefina Valderrama Labbé. He studied at the Instituto Nacional and the Pontifical Seminary of Santiago. Later he studied law at the University of Chile, and subsequently obtained doctorates in philosophy, Theology and Canon Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He also pursued studies in Rome at the Angelicum Institute of Canon Law.

Political career Nicknamed "Sotana Valenzuela" for his early seminary training, he began in politics as a member of the Conservative Party (1943–1948). In 1948 he joined the Social Christian Conservative Party and later was among the founders of the Christian Democratic Party in 1957.

In parallel to his academic and professional activities, he was professor of philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Catholic University and professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile. He also served as a lawyer of the ecclesiastical tribunals of Cardinal José María Caro. He managed CB-66 Radio Chilena between 1953 and 1957 and founded the Catholic Action Radio in 1944.

Elected Deputy for the 7th Departamental Group in the 1965 elections, he sat on the Foreign Relations Commission and presided over the Labor and Social Security Commission. Reelected in 1969, he presided over the Chamber of Deputies from 4 June to 9 September 1969.

He also represented Chile at the XXV Extraordinary Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Social Security in Lima in 1968.

Death He died in Santiago on 17 February 1978, aged 54.