Julio Olivares

Julio Olivares Mengolar was a Chilean army officer who served as director general of Carabineros de Chile from 1928 to 1929, during the presidency of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo.

Biography

Military and administrative career

Olivares served as an officer in the Chilean Army, attaining the rank of colonel. In 1925, while holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, he was appointed director of the Postal and Telegraph Service. His responsibilities included administrative oversight and intelligence-related activities, particularly the collection of information concerning labour unrest.

Following the establishment of Carabineros de Chile in April 1927, Olivares assumed command of police forces in Santiago. His administration of urban policing was subsequently criticized by institutional historians, who attributed several operational difficulties to the limited experience of military officers in civilian police duties.

Director General of Carabineros

In October 1928, Olivares succeeded Aníbal Parada as Director General of Carabineros de Chile. His appointment formed part of the institution's early organizational period, during which senior leadership positions were held by officers drawn from the Army.

He remained in office until April 1929, when he was succeeded by Agustín Moreno Ladrón de Guevara. Following his departure, Olivares returned to the Army and was appointed commander of its Second Infantry Division.