Eugenio Matte Hurtado (6 December 1895 – 11 January 1934) was a Chilean lawyer and politician, Grand Master of the

Grand Lodge of Chile The Grand Lodge of Chile ( Spanish: ''Gran Logia de Chile'') is a regular Masonic body in Chile founded on May 24, 1862. The earthquake of 1906 destroyed the original headquarters and the archives of the Grand Lodge, which determined its definitiv ...

and a founding member of the

Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile (, or PS) is a centre-left to Left-wing politics, left-wing political party founded in 1933. Its historic leader was President of Chile Salvador Allende, who was deposed in a 1973 Chilean coup d'état, coup d'état by ...

who served as the Minister of Interior of the Socialist Republic of Chile.

Biography

Born in to a middle-class family, he studied law at the University of Chile and settled in Santiago after completing his studies as a lawyer. In 1931 he was exiled to Easter Island by dictator Carlos Ibáñez del Campo for his leftist political activity. After Ibáñez's fall later that year, he was able to return to the Santiago and co-founded the socialist ''Nueva Acción Pública'' (New Public Action), with Colonel

Marmaduke Grove Marmaduke Grove Vallejo (July 6, 1878 – May 15, 1954), was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932. Early life Grove was born in Copiapó, Chile, the son of ...

, among others. In June 1932, he was involved in the coup that ended the reign of President Juan Esteban Montero. After the coup, he became a member of the Government Junta which proclaimed the Socialist Republic of Chile (''República Socialista de Chile'') on June 4, 1932. Within the junta, disagreements soon arose between moderate and radical forces, with Matte and Grove clearly belonging to the latter group. The moderate socialist

Carlos Dávila Carlos Gregorio Dávila Espinoza (September 15, 1887 – October 19, 1955), was a Chilean political figure, journalist, chairman of the Government Junta of Chile in 1932, and secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS) from 1 ...

, on June 16 with the cooperation of several officers, organized a new coup d'état and had radical junta members, including Matte and Grove, interned on Easter Island. After the fall of the government of President Dávila in September 1932, the transitional regime called elections. Matte, who has since returned from his place of exile, was the only member of the Nueva Acción Pública to be elected to the Senate in those elections. On April 19, he was one of the founders of the ''Partido Socialista'' (Socialist Party). This new socialist party was an association of four socialist groups, including the NAP. Matte died in 1934 at the age of 38 from a lung disease. His seat in the Senate was filled by Marmaduke Grove.

Freemasonry

Eugenio Matte joined the Grand Lodge of Chile (''Gran Logia de Chile'') at a young age and was an influential member. He was grandmaster from 1932 to 1933.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matte Hurtado, Eugenio Chilean socialists 1895 births 1934 deaths 20th-century Chilean lawyers Socialist Party of Chile politicians University of Chile alumni