Manuel Montt Lehuedé

Manuel Salvador Montt Lehuedé (9 September 1904 – 9 June 1983) was a Chilean lawyer, writer, historian and liberal politician who served two consecutive terms as a Deputy of the Republic between 1941 and 1949.

Biography Montt Lehuedé was born in Santiago, Chile, on 9 September 1904. He was the son of Luis Montt Montt and Emilia Lehuedé, and grandson of Manuel Montt Torres.

He studied at Colegio San Pedro Nolasco and later attended the University of Chile Faculty of Law, qualifying as a lawyer on 14 January 1929. His thesis was entitled De la acción de desposeimiento.

He married Selma Elena Dubournais Sommer in Santiago on 2 May 1941. The couple had three children: Manuel, Luis and Rosario.

Professional career Montt Lehuedé practiced law in Santiago. He served as legal procurator of the Banco de Chile between 1925 and 1928, and later as lawyer for the Internal Revenue Service (SII) from 1928 to 1931. He also worked for the Agricultural Colonization Fund. In the private sector, he served as President of the insurance company La Mundial and Vice President of Exprinter S.A.

He was a professor of Literature at the Instituto Nacional, a writer and historian, and served as Director of the National Library.

Political career Montt Lehuedé joined the Liberal Party in 1932. He served as Secretary General of the Liberal Convention of that year and subsequently as Secretary General of the party until 1941.

He was elected Deputy for the 15th Departmental Group —Itata and San Carlos— for the 1941–1945 term. During this period, he served as a replacement member of the Standing Committees on Labour and Social Legislation, Constitution, Legislation and Justice, and Finance, and as a full member of the Standing Committee on National Defense.

He was re-elected Deputy for the same constituency for the 1945–1949 term. During this term, he served as a replacement member of the Standing Committees on Constitution, Legislation and Justice, and Finance, and as a full member of the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Legislation.

Montt Lehuedé was a member of the Sociedad Chilena de Historia y Geografía from 1932, serving as its President in 1957 and later being named an honorary member. He was also President of the Fundación Manuel Montt and a member of the Club de La Unión.