Oscar Chanks

Oscar Armando Chanks Camus was a Chilean businessman, miner, and politician. He served as a deputy during the XXXVII Legislative Period of the National Congress of Chile, representing the 20th Departamental Grouping between 1933 and 1937.

Biography Chanks Camus worked as a small businessman and miner in Vallenar from 1937. He owned the gold-producing Chela María mine in Vallenar in 1942, as well as other mining properties in the same area. He also worked as a contractor responsible for painting several nitrate offices and established bakeries in La Ligua between 1913 and 1916, and later in Antofagasta from 1916 to 1919. In Lautaro, he was active as a theatrical entrepreneur until 1920. Between 1936 and 1942, he served as a councillor of the Mining Credit Fund (Caja de Crédito Minero).

Political career A member of the Democratic Independent Party, Chanks Camus was a candidate for the Senate in the 1922 by-election in the Maule constituency. He was first elected deputy for Angol and Traiguén for the 1921–1924 period, serving on the Standing Committee on Budgets. He was re-elected for the 1924–1927 term, continuing on the Budget Committee and also joining the Standing Committee on Government. That Congress was dissolved on 11 September 1924 by decree of the governing junta.

He was later elected deputy for the reformed 20th Departamental Grouping (Traiguén, Victoria and Lautaro) for the 1933–1937 legislative period. During this term, he served on the Standing Committee on Internal Government.