Margarita Paluz Rivas

Margarita Paluz Rivas (born Loncoche, 7 August 1931) is a Chilean dentist and politician, member of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC).

She served as a deputy of the Republic for the 21st Departmental District, corresponding to Temuco, Lautaro, Imperial, Pitrufquén and Villarrica, between 1965 and 1969.

Biography She was born in Loncoche on 7 August 1931, the daughter of Juan Paluz Aburid and Gumercinda Isaura Rivas Manríquez.

On 2 September 1966, she married Humberto Espejo Zúñiga in her hometown.

She studied dentistry and qualified as a dental surgeon.

Political career She joined the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), where she assumed the leadership of the Women’s Department in Loncoche.

In the 1965 Chilean parliamentary election, she was elected deputy for the 21st Departmental District, corresponding to Temuco, Lautaro, Imperial, Pitrufquén and Villarrica, serving between 1965 and 1969. She was a member of the Permanent Commissions on Medical-Social Assistance and Hygiene; Housing and Urban Development; Public Health; Labor and Social Security; Constitution, Legislation and Justice; and Finance. She was also part of the Special Commission on Housing (1965–1966).

Among her motions that became law were: Law No. 16.772 of 15 May 1968 on the Labor Code, Article 323, related to payment of weekly rest for certain workers; Law No. 17.093 of 6 February 1969 regarding the San Pedro settlement in San Antonio, regulating transfers to current occupants; and Law No. 17.301 of 22 April 1970, which created the Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (JUNJI).