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Arturo Alessandri

Arturo Alessandri
Alessandri Ulk (1932).jpg
President of Chile
In office
24 December 1932 – 24 December 1938
Preceded by Abraham Oyanedel
(Acting)
Succeeded by Pedro Aguirre Cerda
In office
20 March 1925 – 1 October 1925
Vice President Luis Barros Borgoño
Preceded by Emilio Bello
Succeeded by Luis Barros Borgoño (Acting)
In office
23 December 1920 – 23 September 1924
Vice President Luis Altamirano
Preceded by Juan Luis Sanfuentes
Succeeded by Luis Altamirano
Personal details
Born (1868-12-20)December 20, 1868
Longaví, Chile
Died August 24, 1950(1950-08-24) (aged 81)
Santiago, Chile
Political party Liberal Party
Spouse(s) Rosa Ester Rodríguez
Children Arturo
Rosa
Ester
Jorge
Fernando
Hernán
Eduardo
Marta
Mario
Alma mater University of Chile
Profession Lawyer
Religion Roman Catholicism

Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma (December 20, 1868 – August 24, 1950) was a Chilean political figure and reformer, who served three times as the President of Chile, first between 1920 and 1924, and then again in 1925, and finally from 1932 until 1938.

He was son of Pedro Alessandri Vargas, son of an Italian immigrant, and Susana Palma Guzmán. His father was dedicated to the agricultural labor of the estate in which he lived. At the age of 12 he entered the Sacred Hearts High School, run by French priests, where his brothers were studying and his father had studied.

He started his law career by beginning studies at the University of Chile at the age of 20, graduating in 1893. In 1891, while studying, he participated in the newspaper "La Justicia", which was in opposition to the President of the time, José Manuel Balmaceda. After graduating as a lawyer, he married Rosa Ester Rodríguez Velasco, with whom he had 9 children.

He began his political life in 1897, entering the Liberal Party, and assuming the position of representative of Curicó, where he would be re-elected for almost 20 years. In 1915, already showing his first presidential aspirations, he challenged the senator of the province of Tarapacá, Arturo del Río. Alessandri won a disputed and violent election, from where he earned the nickname of León de Tarapacá (Lion of Tarapacá), due to his charisma, his popularity with the people and his public-speaking abilities.

In 1920 he ran for President of the Republic for the Liberal Alliance , defeating by a narrow margin his opponent of the Coalition (now named the National Union since it incorporated the Conservative Party) Luis Barros Borgoño. With his speeches favoring the working class, he caused great fear in the more conservative sectors of Chilean society, which saw its interests in jeopardy. Since the opposition controlled the National Congress, Alessandri favored strengthening the executive power, which lacked political weight before the Congress (Parliamentary Era).


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