Luis Barros Méndez
Luis Barros Méndez (1861 – 6 January 1906) was a Chilean lawyer, academic and politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and as Minister of War and Navy under President Germán Riesco.
A member of the Conservative Party, he represented Chillán and San Carlos from 1891 to 1894 and Itata from 1900 to 1903.
Early life
Barros was born in Concepción in 1861 to Juan Agustín Barros Morán and Carmen Méndez Urrejola. He studied at Colegio San Ignacio from 1874 and later studied law at the University of Chile, qualifying as a lawyer on 8 January 1883.
He married Teresa Moreira Urrejola, with whom he had twelve children.
Barros practiced law in Concepción and worked as an editor for the Revista Católica. He later pursued an academic career at the Catholic University of Chile, where he taught natural law, forensic medicine and criminal law from 29 March 1889 until 1898.
He was also active in charitable institutions and served as administrator of the Hospital San Juan de Dios in 1902.
Political career
A member of the Conservative Party, Barros was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Chillán and San Carlos for the 1891–1894 legislative term. During this period, he served on the permanent committee for elections and qualification of petitions and on the committee for education and welfare.
After an interval outside Congress, Barros returned to the Chamber of Deputies as representative for Itata for the 1900–1903 legislative term. He served as first vice president of the Chamber from 2 June to 11 July 1900.
During this term, Barros also served on the permanent committees for constitution, legislation and justice and for legislation and justice.
During the presidency of Germán Riesco, Barros was appointed Minister of War and Navy on 23 October 1903. He remained in office until 10 January 1904.
Outside his legal, academic and political activities, Barros wrote poetry. Among the works attributed to him were Al Mar and En los bosques de mi tierra. A verse by Barros was also inscribed at the entrance of the General Cemetery of Santiago.
Barros died in Santiago on 6 January 1906.