Gregorio Amunátegui Solar

Gregorio Amunátegui Solar was a Chilean physician, academic and politician. He served as rector of the University of Chile from 1923 to 1924 and twice as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction, in 1915 and 1924.

Biography

A member of the Amunátegui family, Amunátegui was a son of historian and politician Miguel Luis Amunátegui and a brother of Domingo Amunátegui.

He studied medicine at the University of Chile, graduating in 1886. He later became professor of forensic medicine and served as dean of the university's Faculty of Medicine. During the Chilean Civil War of 1891, he served as chief surgeon with the Congressional forces.

Amunátegui succeeded his brother Domingo as rector of the University of Chile in 1923, after the latter was appointed Minister of the Interior. During his rectorship, the university participated in the Fifth International Conference of American States held in Santiago, and he worked to strengthen its financial autonomy.

Amunátegui also held political office. He first served as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction in 1915. Amid the political crisis surrounding the military protest of September 1924, President Arturo Alessandri appointed him to the same ministry shortly before the 1924 Chilean coup d'état. He remained in office for several weeks under the government headed by General Luis Altamirano.