Luis Cariola

Luis Alberto Cariola Maffei (28 September 1875 – ?) was a Chilean lawyer, journalist and politician of the Conservative Party. He served as one of the alcaldes (mayors) of Santiago and later as senator of the Republic, and was also active in journalism and diplomacy.

Biography He was born in Santiago on 28 September 1875, the son of Miguel Cariola Ciuffardi and Ernestina Maffei Torres. He married Carmela Moreira Urrejola and they had seven children. He was also founding director of Diario Ilustrado in 1903 together with Ricardo Salas Edwards.

Between 1906 and 1909 he directed La Unión of Santiago, and in 1909 he founded the newspaper El Día. He later engaged in commercial activities and served as director and manager of the Curanilahue Coal Company between 1916 and 1920.

From 1916 to 1923 he was professor of administrative law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Political career Cariola joined the Conservative Party and in 1920 became one of the alcaldes (mayors) of Santiago, serving until 1923. Under the Autonomous Commune Law, between 1900 and 1924 the municipality of Santiago was administered by three alcaldes simultaneously.

He was elected senator for the 9th Provincial Grouping (Valdivia, Llanquihue and Chiloé) for the 1926–1934 period. In the Senate he served on the Standing Committees on Hygiene and Public Assistance and on Government, and as substitute member of the Committee on Public Education. During his term he sponsored a bill proposing electoral rights for women.

In 1927 he attempted to resign his senatorial seat due to political disagreements with the government, but the resignation was not accepted. Nevertheless, he did not return to Congress thereafter. In 1928 he was deported to Buenos Aires together with other political figures, including former president Arturo Alessandri.

Diplomatic career In 1933 he was appointed ambassador of Chile to Argentina. While in that post he presided over the Commercial Conference of 1935 and participated in negotiations related to the reconstruction of the Transandine Railway.

He later served as extraordinary ambassador and minister plenipotentiary of Chile in Italy from 1936 to 1938.

He was also secretary of the Liga de Acción Cívica, an organisation aimed at combating political corruption and administrative patronage.