Julio Aníbal Sepúlveda Rondanelli

Julio Sepúlveda Rondanelli (24 January 1915 – 8 July 1995) was a Chilean lawyer, politician, and landowner affiliated with the Radical Party. He served as Deputy of the Republic for the 20th Departmental Grouping – Angol, Collipulli, Traiguén, Victoria, and Curacautín – across multiple consecutive legislative periods between 1941 and 1965.

Biography Born in Angol on 24 January 1915, he was the son of Julio Aníbal Sepúlveda Onfray and Blanca Rondanelli Quezada. He married twice: first, on 28 January 1940, to Cleopatra Teresa García Martínez de Pinillos, with whom he had one daughter, Marcela; and later, on 20 December 1979, to Virginia Bravo Saavedra.

He studied at the Liceo de Hombres de Angol and earned his law degree from the University of Chile, receiving his professional title on 2 November 1939 with the thesis “El servicio de defensa fiscal de la ley de alcoholes”. During his studies, he served as president of the Federation of Students of the Liceo de Angol and later as director of the Law Students’ Center in 1932.

He began his professional career as an assistant officer in the Ministry of Agriculture. After graduation, he worked as legal advisor to the State Railways of Chile (E.F.E.), in the Welfare Department, and later as Alcohol Delegate in Rancagua. He also served as counsellor of the Agricultural Colonization Fund (1947–1948) and the Pension Fund of State Railways (1945–1953).

In 1963, he represented Chile as government delegate at the *Inter-American Economic and Social Council Conference on Agricultural Development and Agrarian Reform* held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Political career Sepúlveda joined the Radical Party in his youth and served as Vice President of the Radical Youth in Santiago (1935), delegate to the Central Board for the province of Malleco (1939), General Secretary of the Party (1962), and First Vice President (1963).

He was elected Deputy for the 20th Departmental Grouping “Angol, Collipulli, Traiguén, and Victoria” for the legislative period 1941–1945, serving on the Permanent Commissions of Agriculture and Colonization, and Internal Government. He was also substitute member of the Commission on Constitution, Legislation, and Justice.

Reelected for the redefined grouping “Angol, Collipulli, Traiguén, Victoria, and Curacautín,” he served continuously as Deputy through the periods 1949–1953, 1953–1957, 1957–1961, and 1961–1965. During these years he participated in the Permanent Commissions on Industry, Agriculture and Colonization, Economy and Trade, and Mining and Industry. In 1959, he presided over the Radical Deputies’ Parliamentary Committee.

He also engaged in agricultural activities, managing his estate “Los Copihues” in the Nahuelbuta Mountains. He was director of the Malleco Agricultural Society (1956), and contributed to the press as director of the magazine Argos.

Sepúlveda was a founding member and first secretary of the Liceo de Angol Sports Club, member of the Social Club of Angol, and was decorated twice by the Municipality of Angol (1953 and 1965) for his civic service.

He died in Punta Arenas on 8 July 1995.