Sergio Recabarren Valenzuela

Sergio Recabarren Valenzuela (16 July 1919 – 5 December 1991) was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and politician. A leading figure of the Agrarian Labor Party (PAL), he served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Finance during the second administration of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo.

Biography He was born in Santiago on 16 July 1919, the son of Arturo Recabarren and Isaura Valenzuela. He completed his primary and secondary education at Instituto Alonso de Ercilla, the Liceo de Aplicación and the Federico Hanssen Night School in Santiago.

He studied law at the University of Chile and was sworn in as a lawyer in 1953, with a thesis titled *Solidaridad continental*. He also pursued studies in pedagogy, sociology, psychology and cultural history, and practiced law independently in Santiago. He served as teaching assistant in the courses of Economic Policy, Constitutional Law and Financial Law at the University of Chile.

Political career Agrarian Labor Party Recabarren joined the Agrarian Labor Party at its foundation and became its national president in 1951. At the party convention held in Chillán on 1 May 1951, he participated in the proclamation of General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo as presidential candidate.

Deputy (1953–1955) In the 1953 Chilean parliamentary election, he was elected deputy for the 7th Departamental Grouping (Santiago, 1st District). During his tenure he sat on the Standing Committees on Constitution, Legislation and Justice; Finance; Labor and Social Legislation; and Foreign Affairs.

On 6 January 1955, he resigned his seat after President Ibáñez appointed him Minister of the Interior. A by-election was held on 6 February 1955, and the replacement deputy, Rafael Agustín Gumucio, took office on 22 March.

Minister of the Interior and Minister of Finance (1955) Recabarren served as Minister of the Interior from 6 January to 21 February 1955, succeeding Arturo Olavarría Bravo and later being succeeded by Carlos Montero Schmidt.

He then served as Minister of Finance from 21 February to 30 May 1955, succeeding Francisco Cuevas Mackenna and followed by Abraham Pérez Lizana.

Diplomatic career After leaving the Finance Ministry, he was appointed Chile’s Ambassador to the United Nations, a position he held for a brief period.

In 1962 he ran in the by-election to fill the vacancy left by deputy Humberto Pinto Díaz (United Conservative Party), but was not elected.

Death Recabarren died in Santiago on 5 December 1991 at the age of 72.