Alberto González Errázuriz
Alberto Félix del Carmen González Errázuriz (18 May 1850 – 4 June 1928) was a Chilean geographical engineer, landowner and politician.
A member of the Conservative Party, he served in both the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and the Senate of Chile, held several ministerial portfolios, and was president of his party from 1916 to 1921.
Early life
González was born in Santiago on 18 May 1850, the son of José Manuel González Ugarte and Francisca Isidora Errázuriz Salas. He studied at Colegio San Ignacio and the Instituto Nacional before entering the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Chile. He qualified as a geographical engineer on 27 August 1873.
He married Ana Echenique Gandarillas, with whom he had six children.
Outside politics, González worked as a farmer and surveyor on his properties in Colchagua Province. He was involved with El Diario Ilustrado from its early years, initially serving as its manager and later as its director. He also administered the Catholic Cemetery from 1902 until 1928.
González Errázuriz additionally held senior positions in the financial sector. He served as president of both the Banco de Crédito Hipotecario de Chile and the Banco de Chile, and was a director of several other organizations.
Political career
A member of the Conservative Party, González was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Caupolicán for the 1891–1894 legislative term. During this period, he served on committees dealing with elections and petitions as well as finance and industry. He was also a member of the Comisión Conservadora during the congressional recess of April and May 1892.
He returned to the Chamber as deputy for Santiago for the 1897–1900 term. He served on the finance committee and again participated in the Comisión Conservadora, this time during the 1899–1900 recess.
During the presidency of Federico Errázuriz Echaurren, González Errázuriz was appointed Minister of Finance, serving from 23 December 1897 until 14 April 1898.
He returned to the cabinet under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes. González Errázuriz served as Minister of Industry, Public Works and Railways from 14 July to 12 October 1917. While holding that portfolio, he twice served in an acting capacity as Minister of War and Navy, from 25 July to 8 August and again from 7 to 11 September 1917. He was also Minister of Justice and Public Instruction from 29 September until 12 October 1917.
Within the Conservative Party, González Errázuriz rose to its leadership and served as party president from 1916 to 1921.
Senator
In 1918, he entered the Senate as senator for Colchagua Province, replacing Roberto Lyon following the latter's death. González Errázuriz served for the remainder of the 1918–1924 legislative term.
During his senatorial service, he participated in the permanent committees for agriculture, industry and railways and for foreign relations and worship. He also chaired the committee for public works and colonization and sat on the Comisión Conservadora during the congressional recesses of 1921–1922 and 1922–1923.
González Errázuriz died in Santiago on 4 June 1928, aged 78.