Lorenzo Gotuzzo

Tito Lorenzo Gotuzzo Borlando (1920 – 15 November 1979) was a Chilean naval officer and public accountant who served as Minister of Finance during the early phase of the military government led by General Augusto Pinochet. A career officer of the Chilean Navy, Gotuzzo was known for his administrative discipline and for implementing the first fiscal reorganisation following the 1973 coup d’état.

Born in Concepción, he studied at the French Fathers School and graduated from the Arturo Prat Naval Academy, later specialising in accounting and logistics. He held various posts within the Navy, including subdirector of procurement and member of the Chilean Naval Mission in Washington, D.C.. Before joining the cabinet, he worked at ASMAR (the Navy’s shipyards and dockyards) and was recognised for his efficient management style.

As Minister of Finance from September 1973 to July 1974, Gotuzzo oversaw the early fiscal policies of the military junta, focusing on restoring macroeconomic order and re-establishing state financial control after the fall of the Popular Unity government. Following his ministerial term, he chaired the Subcommission on Finance and Economy within the First Legislative Commission. He died of a heart attack in 1979, aged 59, and was buried at the Cementerio Santa Inés in Viña del Mar.

Biography Born in Concepción, Gotuzzo attended the French Fathers School and graduated from the Arturo Prat Naval Academy. He later qualified as a public accountant and served in several technical and administrative roles in the Chilean Navy. He was part of the Chilean Naval Mission in Washington, D.C. and worked at ASMAR, eventually becoming subdirector of naval procurement. He was married to Julia Montenegro and had four children.

After the coup d’état of 11 September 1973, Gotuzzo was appointed Minister of Finance in the first cabinet of General Augusto Pinochet. During his term, he led the early restructuring of Chile’s public finances and the reorganisation of the Treasury, paving the way for later economic reforms. After leaving the ministry, he presided over the Subcommission on Finance and Economy within the Legislative Commission created by the junta.

Gotuzzo died of a heart attack on 15 November 1979 at age 59 and was buried in the Cementerio Santa Inés of Viña del Mar.

Legacy In December 1980, a pedestrian street adjacent to the Ministry of Finance building in Santiago was named Lorenzo Gotuzzo, in his honour.

In March 2016, the Municipality of Santiago changed its name to Amanda Labarca as part of a symbolic recognition of Chilean women educators and reformers.