Óscar Valenzuela Valdés

Óscar Valenzuela Valdés (12 October 1887 – 1969) was a Chilean liberal politician and businessman. He served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies and later as a Senator, representing various southern and central constituencies between 1915 and 1945.

Early life and education Valenzuela was born in Tacna on 12 October 1887, at the time part of Chile. He was the son of Régulo Valenzuela and Rosa Valdés Arias.

He was educated at the Liceo of Tacna and later at the English Institute of Santiago, where he graduated in commerce. He later pursued further training in economic liberalism in the United States.

Professional career From 1910, Valenzuela was active in the Santiago Stock Exchange, an institution in which he later served as a director. Alongside his financial activities, he was also involved in agriculture and commercial enterprises.

He later presided over several private companies, including S.A.C. Régulo Valenzuela (1947), the commercial firm A la Ville de Nice (1949), and INGELSAC (1950). He also served as a director of the Central Bank of Chile in 1953 and as a councillor of the National Savings Bank in 1952.

Political career Valenzuela joined the Liberal Party in 1910.

He served as municipal councillor (regidor) of Santiago between 1913 and 1915 and was elected president of the Liberal Party for the first time in the period 1915–1916.

In 1915, he was elected Deputy for Arauco, Lebu and Cañete, serving until 1918. During this term, he was a member of the Permanent Committee on Foreign Relations and Colonization.

He entered the Senate in 1933, representing O'Higgins, Colchagua and Curicó, serving on the Permanent Committee on Foreign Relations. He was subsequently re-elected for O'Higgins and Colchagua, serving until 1945 and acting as a member of the Permanent Committee on Labour and Social Welfare.

He served additional terms as president of the Liberal Party in 1934–1935 and again in 1951–1952.

Honours and affiliations Valenzuela was awarded the Order of the Sol of Peru. He was a member of the Club de la Unión and the Club Hípico.

Personal life He married Luz Vera Calvo.