Luis Espinoza Villalobos

Luis Uberlindo Espinoza Villalobos (10 August 1940–2 December 1973) was a Chilean politician and accountant, affiliated with the Socialist Party of Chile (RS).

He was a founder of the PS in Los Lagos Region, and actively participated in parliamentary commissions on Public Education and Interior Government.

Espinoza Villalobos also served as a regidor (councilor) before being elected deputy for the 24th Departmental Grouping. He was murdered in Frutillar during the political violence following the 1973 coup d'etat, and in 2019 two former police officers were sentenced to 18 years in prison for his killing.

Early life Born in Fresia, Chile, he was the son of Uberlindo Espinoza Pardo, a founder of the Socialist Party in the commune, and Luzmira Villalobos Cid.

He completed his primary education at the Escuela Fiscal de Fresia and his secondary education at the Liceo Comercial of Puerto Montt and Valdivia, specializing in accounting.

Political career Espinoza Villalobos began his political involvement as a student leader in Puerto Montt and later served as the provincial secretary of the Central Única de Trabajadores in the same city. He was a member of the Socialist Party, holding positions as the general secretary in Fresia and regional secretary in Llanquihue.

Between 1967 and 1969, he served as a regidor (councilor) for the Municipality of Fresia. In 1969, he was elected as a deputy for the 24th Departmental Grouping of Llanquihue, Maullín, Calbuco and Puerto Varas, serving until the 1973 coup d'etat.

During his tenure, he was a member of the Permanent Commissions of Public Education and Interior Government. Notably, he presented a motion that became Law No. 17,307 on June 19, 1970, concerning the contracting of a loan for the Municipality of Puerto Varas.

Death Espinoza was murdered by Pinochet regime's agents on 2 December 1973 in Frutillar, Chile, at the age of 33, alongside the peasant leader Abraham Oliva. Both were victims of a qualified homicide committed by former police officers René Villarroel (alias "Juan Metralla") and Carlos Tapia, who were sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Court of Temuco in January 2019.

Parliamentary Fidel Espinoza (PS), son of the deceased, highlighted the judicial ruling, stating that the family received the sentence «with absolute calm, but with the satisfaction of having fought alongside our mother and siblings for many years to achieve justice for the heinous crime against my father». He also called on the justice system and police authorities to prevent René Villarroel from escaping following his conviction.