Simón Segundo Olavarría Alarcón

Simón Olavarría Alarcón (26 July 1908 – 30 November 1965) was a Chilean socialist politician and historian. Born in Lota to Simón Olavarría and Isolina Alarcón, he married Yolanda Navia Núñez and had three daughters: Oriana, Irania and Mariana.

Biography He studied at the Liceo of Concepción and later at Roosevelt College in Santiago. He then pursued historiography at the University of Chile, a degree he did not complete.

Between 1928 and 1939 he worked as cashier and bay chief for the Standard Oil Company in San Antonio. He later engaged in several commercial activities and, in 1954, served as administrator of the Port of Valparaíso.

Political career A member of the Socialist Party of Chile from 1930 to 1951, Olavarría served as councilman of the Municipality of San Antonio in 1940. He was elected Deputy for the 9th Departmental Group (Melipilla, San Antonio, San Bernardo, Maipo) for the 1941–1945 term, sitting on the Permanent Committee on Government and Interior.

He later dedicated himself to journalism (1946–1948) and to historical research, and worked as teaching assistant in History at the Pedagogical Institute of the University of Chile (1949–1950). He was again elected Deputy for the 8th Departmental Group (Melipilla, San Antonio, San Bernardo, Maipo) for the 1949–1953 term, serving on the Committees on Industries and on Economy and Commerce.

His historical work led him to publish La Gran Culpa del Partido Radical (1951).