Anselmo Hevia
Anselmo Hevia Riquelme (15 May 1856 – 28 May 1925) was a Chilean lawyer, politician and diplomat who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, as Mayor of Talca, as Minister of Industry and Public Works under President Pedro Montt, and as Minister of the Interior under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes.
A member of the Radical Party, he also held several diplomatic posts, representing Chile in Brazil, Japan and Mexico.
He served as Minister of Industry and Public Works under President Pedro Montt in 1907 and as Minister of the Interior under President Juan Luis Sanfuentes in 1919.
Early life
Hevia was born in Curicó on 15 May 1856, the son of Isidro Hevia Rojas and Mercedes Riquelme Roa. He studied at the Liceo de Curicó and the Instituto Nacional before studying law at the University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer on 1 June 1877.
He married Sofía Rahausen. In addition to practicing law, Hevia pursued a judicial career. He served as acting judge of letters in Curicó from 4 February 1882 and later as a substitute judge of the Commercial Court and as a substitute civil judge in Santiago.
Hevia also held several local government positions. He served as Intendant of Valparaíso in 1891, as a municipal councillor in Santiago from 1891 to 1894, and as mayor of Talca from 1894 to 1897 and again from 1906 to 1907.
Political career
A member of the Radical Party, Hevia also served as treasurer of the party.
He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Antofagasta, Taltal and Tocopilla for the 1891–1894 legislative term. He subsequently represented Angol, Traiguén and Collipulli for two consecutive terms, from 1894 to 1900.
In 1900, Hevia was elected deputy for Rere and Puchacay for the 1900–1903 term. His service in Congress ended on 19 October 1900 following the approval of the credentials of Darío Sánchez Masenlli.
Hevia later served as Minister of Industry and Public Works under President Pedro Montt from 8 February to 12 June 1907.
He returned to the cabinet during the presidency of Juan Luis Sanfuentes, serving as Minister of the Interior from 3 May to 9 July 1919.
Diplomatic
Hevia also had an extensive diplomatic career. He served as Chilean minister plenipotentiary to Brazil from 1901 to 1907. In that capacity, he signed an agreement with Brazilian foreign minister José Paranhos, Baron of Rio Branco, in Rio de Janeiro in October 1906 concerning the transportation of diplomatic correspondence between Chile and Brazil.
He subsequently served as Chilean minister plenipotentiary to Japan from 1909 to 1911 and to Mexico from 1911 to 1914. He presented his credentials to Emperor Meiji in March 1910 as Chile's diplomatic representative in Japan.
Hevia died in Santiago on 28 May 1925, aged 69.