Ruperto Puga

José Ruperto Puga Fisher (18 October 1902 – 17 October 1975) was a Chilean lawyer, minister of state and parliamentarian affiliated with the Democratic Party.

He served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies during two non-consecutive periods and held cabinet positions as Minister of Labour and Minister of Justice during the administration of President Gabriel González Videla.

Biography Puga Fisher was born in Santiago on 18 October 1902, the son of Julio Puga Borne and Lucía Fisher. He completed his secondary education at the Instituto Andrés Bello and studied law at the University of Chile, qualifying as a lawyer on 11 November 1930. His undergraduate thesis was titled De la representación.

He practiced law primarily in the field of commercial law and frequently served as arbitrator in labour disputes.

He married Rebeca Aldunate Ugarte on 26 June 1926, with whom he had two children. In a second marriage, he married Marina Fernández Ruiz on 6 January 1955.

Professional and business career In commercial activity, Puga Fisher was a partner in the firm Imprenta y Encuadernación Roberto Puga Fisher e Hijo, president of Sociedad Minera Carmen S.A., a partner in the Lincoln Copper Group of Tocopilla, and president and director of the construction company ENACO.

He was a delegate to the Fifth Inter-American Conference of Lawyers held in Lima in 1947 and represented the Chilean Bar Association in Paris in 1956.

Political career A member of the Democratic Party, Puga Fisher was presumptively elected Deputy for the 15th Departmental Group —Itata and San Carlos— for the 1937–1941 legislative period and served on the Standing Committee on Finance.

He returned to the Chamber of Deputies representing the 17th Departmental Group —Concepción, Talcahuano, Tomé, Yumbel and Coronel— for the 1949–1953 legislative period, assuming office on 25 October 1950 after replacing Fernando Maira, who had opted for the Senate.

During this term, he served as a replacement member of the Standing Committees on Constitution, Legislation and Justice and on Finance. In parliamentary activity, he promoted reforms to the Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Penal Code, culminating in Law No. 11,183 of 10 June 1953.

During the presidency of Gabriel González Videla, Puga Fisher served as Minister of Labor from 2 April 1948 to 1 February 1949, and again from 21 June to 8 August 1950. Concurrently, he served as Minister of Justice between 27 February and 26 June 1950.

Puga Fisher died in Santiago on 17 October 1975.