Vicente Villalobos

Vicente Adrián Villalobos (born 19 July 1881) was a Chilean politician who served as member of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

Biography He was born at the Los Nogales estate in Quillota on 19 July 1881, son of Antonio Adrián and Filomena Villalobos. He married and had children.

He studied at the Public School of Quillota and at the Drawing School of the Sociedad de Fomento Fabril (SOFOFA) in Santiago, qualifying as an industrial draftsman. He later worked in a jewelry workshop and perfected the trade, becoming economically independent and active in industrial and commercial guilds in Santiago. He was president of the Unión de Artesanos from 1925 and participated in numerous mutual aid and workers’ organizations.

He was member of the Democratic Party, where he held various internal positions until becoming party president.

He served as councilor (regidor) of Santiago from 1913 to 1918 and acted on one occasion as second mayor.

He was Minister of Industry, Public Works and Railways in November 1918 under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes and again during the first administration of Arturo Alessandri Palma between 1923 and 1924. During his tenure he promoted irrigation works, railway expansion, road development, and measures favoring national industry and labor protection.

Political career He was elected deputy for Santiago for the 1918–1921 period and served on the Permanent Commission of Social Legislation and the Budget Commission.

He was re-elected for the 1921–1924 period, served as Second Vice President of the Chamber on 16 October 1923, and sat on the Permanent Commission of War and Navy. In 1921 he co-sponsored a mortgage credit bill for workers.

He was again elected deputy for Santiago for the 1924–1927 period, serving on the Permanent Commission of Public Instruction and as alternate member of the War and Navy Commission. Congress was dissolved on 11 September 1924 by decree of the Government Junta.

He was elected deputy for the 7th Departamental Grouping of Santiago for the 1926–1930 period and served on the Permanent Commission of Finance.

He was elected senator for the 4th Provincial Grouping of Santiago for the 1930–1938 period and served on the Permanent Commission of Foreign Affairs. He did not complete his term due to the revolutionary movement of 4 June 1932, which decreed the dissolution of Congress on 6 June.