Miguel Urrutia Barbosa

Miguel Alberto Urrutia Barbosa (1861 – 27 July 1933) was a Chilean lawyer, military officer, and National Party politician.

He served in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile from 1897 to 1912 and subsequently represented Arauco Province in the Senate of Chile from 1912 to 1918. In 1932, he briefly served as Minister of National Defense under President Juan Esteban Montero.

Urrutia served as a councillor of the State Railways from 1919 to 1924 and was also a councillor of the Banco de Chile. He belonged to the Club de la Unión and Club de Septiembre.

He later withdrew from public life and lived in Santiago, where he died on 27 July 1933, aged 72.

Early life

Urrutia was born in Chillán in 1861, the son of Army general Gregorio Urrutia Venegas and Lina Barbosa Puga. He attended the Liceo de Concepción and the Instituto Nacional in Santiago before studying law at the University of the State, now the University of Chile. He qualified as a lawyer on 4 April 1883.

He married twice, first to Sara Cortés and later to Isidora Huneeus Gana. Neither marriage produced children.

Military career

Urrutia also pursued a career in the Chilean Army, eventually attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served as a military legal officer with the Army of the Frontier.

During the War of the Pacific, Urrutia participated in the Battle of Chorrillos. His name was included among the officers commended by Patricio Lynch in his report concerning the actions of the 1st Division. In January 1882, he was awarded a gold medal by an act of the Chilean legislature.

During the 1891 Chilean Civil War, Urrutia supported the Congressional forces. While preparing to travel north, he was arrested at San Antonio and transferred first to Valparaíso and subsequently to Santiago. Following the victory of the Congressional forces, he was released and appointed commander of the Buin Regiment.

He received authorization for definitive retirement from the army on 21 May 1894. A further retirement certificate issued in April 1900 recognized more than fifteen years of military service.

Alongside his military and legal activities, Urrutia contributed poetry and prose to the press, including the Santiago publications Los Lunes and La Época.

Political career

A member of the National Party, also known at the time as the Monttvarista Party, Urrutia left active military service and concentrated on politics after his election to the Chamber of Deputies in 1897.

He represented Temuco and Imperial during the 1897–1900 legislative term and served on the Permanent Committee on Elections and Qualification of Petitions. In 1900, he was elected for Angol, Traiguén and Collipulli, representing that constituency during the 1900–1903 term and serving on the Permanent Committee on War and the Navy.

Urrutia was returned for Angol, Traiguén and Collipulli for the 1903–1906 term, although he did not formally take his seat until 16 September 1903. He was re-elected for the same constituency for the 1906–1909 term and again for 1909–1912; the latter constituency also included Mariluán.

In 1912, Urrutia was elected to the Senate of Chile for Arauco Province for the 1912–1918 term. He served on the Permanent Committee on Worship and Colonization and the Permanent Committee on Government and Elections, as well as a substitute member of the Permanent Committee on Government. He was also a member of the Conservative Commission during the congressional recesses of 1915–1916 and 1916–1917.

During the presidency of Pedro Montt, Urrutia was offered several cabinet positions, which he declined.

On 9 March 1932, President Juan Esteban Montero appointed Urrutia Minister of National Defense. He remained in office until 8 April 1932.