Humberto Martones Morales

Humberto Martones Morales (12 September 1927 – 22 April 2017) was a Chilean politician. He served as Minister of Lands and Colonization (1970–1973) and Minister of Public Works and Transport under President Salvador Allende.

Early life He was the son of Humberto Martones Quezada and Elena Morales Soto. He studied at the Liceo Amunátegui in Santiago. He married Adela Viñales Pastenes, with whom he had three children: Humberto, Mirtho, and Marcela Martones. His first job was working with his father, who owned a small business.

Political career Martones began his political career in 1948 in the Democratic People's Party. He later joined the National Democratic Party (PADENA), where he became national president of the Youth and secretary general.

He was elected deputy for Santiago for two consecutive terms (1953–1957 and 1957–1961). During his eight years in the Chamber, he served on the Permanent Commissions of Finance and Budget, National Defense, and Constitution, Legislation and Justice.

In 1967, he co-founded the Social Democratic Party and became a member of its Central Committee. In 1972, he joined the Radical Party.

He worked in Allende’s presidential campaign and served as Minister of Lands and Colonization from 3 November 1970 to 27 March 1973. He also acted as Minister of Agriculture between 5–9 March 1971 and 26 May–4 June 1971. His last cabinet position was Minister of Public Works and Transport, from 27 March 1973 to 9 August 1973.

Exile and later life After the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, he went into exile in Peru, where he presided over the Chile Democrático organization. Alongside Anselmo Sule, he participated in the Socialist International and the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPPAL). In 1988, he became vice president of the founding board of the Broad Party of Socialist Left.

After Chile’s return to democracy, he presided over the Network of Senior Citizens’ Programs of Chile.