Óscar Urzúa Jaramillo

Óscar Urzúa Jaramillo (1880 – 27 July 1950) was a Chilean lawyer, journalist and politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as a deputy and later as a senator of the Republic.

Biography He was born in Curicó in 1880, the son of José Domingo Urzúa Moreira and Filomena Jaramillo Urzúa. On 15 October 1919 he married Teresa Menchaca Moraga, and they had one daughter.

He studied at the Instituto Nacional and later at the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile. He was admitted to the bar on 17 December 1904.

Urzúa worked as professor of political economy and commercial law at the Instituto Superior de Comercio for seven years. He also pursued a career in journalism, working on the editorial staff of El Día in Santiago and later serving as administrator and editor of La Mañana in Talca.

During the presidency of Juan Luis Sanfuentes, he served as Minister of War and Navy from 20 November 1916 to 3 March 1917, and again from 8 March to 17 July 1917.

He later held various public and private positions. He was a member of the Council of Public Instruction and of the Caja de Crédito Minero, president of the Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones, president of Cristalerías Chile, and director of the Compañía de Carbón de Lota. He was also a member of the Superior Council of Commercial Education and belonged to the Club de La Unión from 1911.

Political career Urzúa was a member of the Liberal Party, in which he served both as president and as president of its Supreme Tribunal.

He was first elected to the National Congress as deputy for Ancud and Quinchao for the 1912–1915 legislative period. During this term he served on the Standing Committees on Finance and Internal Police.

He was re-elected deputy for the same constituency for the 1915–1918 legislative period and continued serving on the Standing Committee on Finance.

He was again re-elected for the 1918–1921 legislative period, during which he served as first vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies from 18 November to 9 December 1920. He also served on the Standing Committee on War and Navy.

He was elected deputy for La Serena, Elqui and Coquimbo for the 1921–1924 legislative period, serving on the Standing Committee on Public Instruction.

He was re-elected for the same constituency for the 1924–1927 legislative period and continued serving on the Standing Committee on Public Instruction. The National Congress was dissolved on 11 September 1924 by decree of the governing military junta.

He was elected senator for the 2nd Provincial Grouping for the 1926–1930 period. During this term he served as vice-president of the Senate from 22 May 1928 to 26 May 1930. He served on the Standing Committee on Public Education and also on, and presided over, the Standing Committee on Army and Navy. He was also substitute member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He was re-elected senator for the same provincial grouping for the 1930–1938 period, serving as substitute member of the Standing Committee on Constitution, Legislation and Justice and as a member of the Standing Committee on Public Education.

The 1932 socialist coup d'état led to the dissolution of the National Congress on 6 June 1932.

He died in Santiago on 27 July 1950.