Francisco Pinto Cruz
Francisco Antonio Pinto Cruz (15 August 1858 – 29 August 1905) was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served in the Chamber of Deputies, as Minister of War and Navy and Minister of Justice and Public Instruction, and as Chilean minister plenipotentiary to Germany.
Biography
Pinto was born in Concepción on 15 August 1858, the son of Aníbal Pinto, who served as President of Chile from 1876 to 1881, and Delfina Cruz Zañartu. He qualified as a lawyer on 3 May 1881.
He married Teresa del Río Plummer, with whom he had no children. He later married Julia Riesco Ugarte, with whom he had three children.
Professional career
During the War of the Pacific, Pinto performed administrative duties in Lima in 1879. He also pursued a career in education, teaching at the Escuela Nocturna Juan Gutemberg, the Liceo de Valparaíso and the Naval Academy. In 1887, he was appointed to an examining commission of the Council of Public Instruction.
Following the 1891 Chilean Civil War, Pinto served as Intendant of Tarapacá from 31 October 1891 to 27 September 1892. Under President Jorge Montt, he was appointed Minister of War and Navy, serving from 4 October 1892 to 27 March 1893, and subsequently Minister of Justice and Public Instruction from 6 October 1893 to 26 April 1894.
Pinto also pursued a diplomatic career. He served as Chilean minister plenipotentiary to Germany from 1894 to 1898 and returned to the post in 1902, remaining in Germany until his death. While there, he was decorated with the Order of the Crown of Prussia.
Political career
A member of the Liberal Party, Pinto was elected substitute deputy for Concepción and Talcahuano for the 1885–1888 legislative term.
He later represented Concepción, Talcahuano, Lautaro and Coelemu in the Chamber of Deputies during the 1900–1903 legislative term. He served as a substitute member of the Permanent Government Committee and as a member of the Foreign Relations and Internal Police committees.
Pinto died in Berlin on 29 August 1905. His remains were subsequently repatriated to Chile.