Víctor R. Celis
Víctor R. Celis Maturana (24 October 1880 – 29 August 1945) was a Chilean lawyer, teacher, journalist and politician.
A member of the Radical Party, he represented Santiago in both chambers of the National Congress and served twice as Minister of Finance during the first presidency of Arturo Alessandri.
Early life and career
Celis was born in San Vicente de Tagua Tagua on 24 October 1880, the son of Manuel Antonio Celis Salas and Felícitas Maturana Ramírez. His brother, Armando Celis Maturana, also served in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile.
He studied in Rengo and at the Instituto Nacional before attending the Instituto Pedagógico of the University of Chile. He received a bachelor's degree in humanities in 1899 and qualified as a teacher of Spanish and French in 1903. He subsequently studied law at the University of Chile and qualified as a lawyer in 1923. His law thesis examined the ordinary revenues of the state.
Celis began his professional career in education. From 1904 to 1910, he taught Spanish and French at the secondary school in San Felipe. After returning to Santiago, he taught French at the Internado Nacional Barros Arana, the Liceo de Aplicación and the Military Academy, and also worked as an inspector at the Instituto Nacional.
Alongside his teaching career, Celis contributed to several newspapers and periodicals, including Pluma y Pincel, La Ilustración, La Lira Chilena and La Razón. His publications included works on historian Diego Barros Arana and public education in Chile, as well as the teaching of literary history. He was also involved in business and, in 1939, served as a director of Laboratorio Beta S.A.
Celis married Zulema Riveros Mardones in 1907, and they had two sons. Following her death, he married María Riveros Mardones in 1916, with whom he had four children. He was the great-grandfather of politician Andrés Celis.
Political career
Celis was active in the Radical Party, holding a number of positions in its local organizations. He became president of a communal party organization in 1915 and later served as vice president and president of a Radical assembly between 1919 and 1922.
In the 1918 parliamentary election, Celis was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Santiago for the 1918–1921 term. He served on the Permanent Commissions on Elections and on Public Instruction.
After completing his first term in the Chamber, President Arturo Alessandri appointed Celis Minister of Finance on 17 August 1921. During the first week of his tenure, he also served in an acting capacity as Minister of Justice and Public Instruction. He remained Finance Minister until November 1921.
Celis returned to the Chamber after being elected again for Santiago for the 1921–1924 term. He served on the Permanent Commissions on Foreign Affairs and Colonization and on Finance, chairing the latter. From 10 July 1923 to 5 February 1924, he was President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile.
During this parliamentary term, Celis returned to the Finance Ministry, serving from 16 March to 14 June 1923 under Alessandri.
In 1924, Celis was elected to the Senate of Chile for Santiago for a term scheduled to continue until 1930. He served on and chaired the Permanent Commissions on Public Instruction and on Style. His senatorial term ended prematurely on 11 September 1924, when the National Congress was dissolved by the military junta established following the 1924 Chilean coup d'état.
Celis was elected a councillor of the Grand Lodge of Chile in 1924. In later public service, he became Undersecretary of Health in 1932 and vice president of the Caja de Seguro Obrero in 1938. He also represented the government on the governing bodies of the municipal employees' fund and the Dirección de Aprovisionamiento del Estado.
Celis died in Santiago on 29 August 1945, aged 64.