Vasco Valdebenito García

Vasco Valdebenito García (7 November 1907 – 26 April 1984) was a Chilean mining engineer and socialist politician.

Early life He was born in Chillán to Sandalio Valdebenito and Carmen García. He studied at the Liceo Valentín Letelier in Santiago and at the School of Engineering of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, graduating as a mining engineer in 1930.

He married Ana González Romero; he later married Rebeca Pérez Fernández.

Public career He served as a technician at the Planning Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works, specializing in the construction of mining property.

He joined the Socialist Party of Chile in 1936 and served as Mayor of Quillota (1938–1939).

In 1939, he entered the Chamber of Deputies by replacing Salvador Allende when the latter assumed the Ministry of Public Health, Social Welfare and Assistance. In the complementary election, Valdebenito obtained 25,159 votes, defeating René Olivares of the APL (10,096 votes). He represented the 6th Departmental Group (Valparaíso, Casablanca, Quillota, Limache) for the 1939–1941 term.

He was reelected for 1941–1945, serving on the Standing Committee on Constitution, Legislation and Justice, and on the Committee on Finance.

He did not run in 1945, as he was appointed Intendant of the Province of Aconcagua by President Juan Antonio Ríos.

He was elected again as Deputy for 1949–1953, serving on the Standing Committee on Economy and Commerce.

In 1952, he served as a delegate of the Chamber of Deputies to the IV Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Washington, D.C.