Pedro Montenegro
Pedro Nicolás Montenegro Onel (1872 – 6 November 1940) was a Chilean lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, as a senator for Bío Bío Province, and as a minister of state.
He also served twice as Minister of Finance, under presidents Pedro Montt and Ramón Barros Luco.
Early life
Montenegro was born in Los Andes in 1872 to Nicolás de Bari Montenegro del Canto and Teresa Onel Font. After completing his secondary education at the Liceo de San Felipe, he studied law at the University of Chile and qualified as a lawyer in May 1895.
He married Ana Baltra. Montenegro practiced law privately and became politically active as a supporter of President José Manuel Balmaceda. He was also involved in political journalism and party activities before entering Congress.
Political career
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Montenegro was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for La Laja, Nacimiento and Mulchén for the 1903–1906 term. During his first term, he served on the permanent committees for elections and foreign relations.
He retained the same constituency in the 1906 election and served until 1909, continuing as a member of the foreign relations committee. Montenegro Onel was elected for a third consecutive term in 1909 and represented La Laja, Nacimiento and Mulchén until 1912. During this period, he served as a substitute member of the foreign relations committee.
In 1912, Montenegro moved to the Senate after being elected senator for Bío Bío Province. He served until 1918 and participated in the permanent committees for constitution, legislation and justice and for finance.
Within the Liberal Democratic Party, he was a member of its executive board around 1914 and also served as vice president of the party. President Pedro Montt appointed Montenegro Minister of Finance on 30 August 1908.
He returned to the Finance Ministry during the presidency of Ramón Barros Luco, serving from August 1911 until May 1912. His second tenure coincided with measures addressing the government's fiscal deficit, legislation concerning the Caja de Emisión, and the establishment of a customs office in Punta Arenas.
After leaving parliamentary politics, Montenegro Onel continued his legal practice. In 1936, he represented the Asociación de Productores de Salitre de Chile before the government in Santiago. He also established the Premio Montenegro, an award administered by the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile.
Montenegro died in Santiago on 6 November 1940.