Luis Vidal Vargas

Manuel Luis Osvaldo Vidal Vargas (6 May 1904 – 22 May 1989) was a Chilean military officer and politician.

Luis Vidal served as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army from 1956 to 1958. He also served as Minister of National Defense during the second government of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo from 1957 to 1958.

Military career

Vidal was born in Curicó, Chile, on 6 May 1904, the son of Manuel Vidal Fuentes and Elena Vargas Jofré. He was married to Olga Labarca Rodríguez.

In 1921, Vidal entered the Military Academy as a cadet and graduated as a second lieutenant of cavalry. His first assignment was to the 7th Cavalry Regiment Guías. He subsequently spent two years as a student at the Cavalry School.

After attaining the rank of captain, Vidal entered the Chilean Army War Academy in 1933. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 4th Cavalry Regiment Coraceros. After qualifying as a staff officer, he served as a military instructor at the War Academy and subsequently at the Air Academy.

Following his promotion to major in 1938, Vidal assumed command of the Training Group at the Cavalry School, where he also served as an instructor.

In 1943, he became secretary of studies at the War Academy. After attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel, he was appointed military attaché at the Chilean Embassy in Colombia.

Upon returning to Chile, Vidal served as deputy director of the Cavalry School. Two years later, he assumed command of the 1st Cavalry Regiment Granaderos.

Having attained the rank of colonel, Vidal became director of the Chilean Army War Academy in 1952. Following his promotion to brigadier general, he served on a commission that submitted to the Ministry of National Defense a proposed regulation concerning the law governing retirement from the Chilean Armed Forces.

In 1955, Vidal was appointed commander of the III Army Division, and the following year became Chief of the Army General Staff.

On 8 May 1956, while holding the rank of major general, Vidal was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army. During his tenure, he participated in official missions to several countries in the Americas, including Paraguay, Colombia, the United States and Panama.

Minister of state

President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo appointed Vidal Minister of National Defense, a position he held concurrently with that of Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army.

Vidal retired from the Chilean Army on 3 November 1958.