Rafael Sotomayor Gaete
Encyclopedia
Rafael Segundo Sotomayor Gaete (November 16, 1848 - February 16, 1918) was a Chile
an politician and several times minister.
He was born in Cauquenes, the son of Rafael Sotomayor Baeza and of Pabla del Carmen Gaete Ruiz. He studied at the Instituto Nacional
and later graduated as a lawyer from the Universidad de Chile on January 7, 1871. During the War of the Pacific
, he accompanied his father, who was the Minister of War, as personal secretary and auditor, and after his death, in 1880, he became CO of the Customs House Guard in Iquique and later Intendant of Tarapacá
. On May 4, 1895, he married Inés Neuhaus Ugarteche, and together they had 6 children.
He joined the Radical Party
, and in 1898 President Federico Errázuriz Echaurren
appointed him Minister of Finance
(1898–1899) first and Minister of the Interior
later (1899). President German Riesco
appointed him Minister of the Interior (1903) and then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization (1903–1904). In 1906 Sotomayor was elected Senator for "Aconcagua" (1906–1912).
President Pedro Montt
appointed him Minister of Finance (1906–1907) and then Minister of the Interior (1907–1908). As such he is held responsible of giving the shoot-to-kill order to General Roberto Silva Renard
that caused the Santa María School massacre
in 1907, where the estimates range between 1,100 and 3,500 men, women and children killed. His reputation never recovered.
Sotomayor died of Spanish flu
on board the ship Infanta Isabel, in front of Pernambuco
, at the age of 69, on the return trip from Europe, after having been Chilean Ambassador to France.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an politician and several times minister.
He was born in Cauquenes, the son of Rafael Sotomayor Baeza and of Pabla del Carmen Gaete Ruiz. He studied at the Instituto Nacional
Instituto Nacional
Instituto Nacional , founded on August 10, 1813 by the Chilean patriot José Miguel Carrera , officially Liceo Ex A-0 - Instituto Nacional General José Miguel Carrera, is Chile's oldest and most prestigious school...
and later graduated as a lawyer from the Universidad de Chile on January 7, 1871. During the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
, he accompanied his father, who was the Minister of War, as personal secretary and auditor, and after his death, in 1880, he became CO of the Customs House Guard in Iquique and later Intendant of Tarapacá
Tarapacá Region
The I Tarapacá Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It borders the Chilean Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, Bolivia's Oruro Department on the east, the Antofagasta Region on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The port city of Iquique The I Tarapacá...
. On May 4, 1895, he married Inés Neuhaus Ugarteche, and together they had 6 children.
He joined the Radical Party
Radical Party (Chile)
The Radical Party of Chile was a Chilean political party. It was formed in 1863 by a split in the Liberal Party. Not coincidently, it was formed shortly after the organization of the Grand Lodge of Chile, and it has maintained a close relationship with Chilean Freemasonry throughout its life...
, and in 1898 President Federico Errázuriz Echaurren
Federico Errázuriz Echaurren
Federico Errázuriz Echaurren was a Chilean political figure. Born in Santiago, he served as President of Chile between 1896 and his death in 1901. Federico Errázuriz was of Basque descent.-Early life:...
appointed him Minister of Finance
Ministry of Finance (Chile)
The Ministry of Finance of Chile is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of managing the financial affairs, fiscal policy and capital markets of Chile; planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing all financial policies formulated by the President of...
(1898–1899) first and Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior (Chile)
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining public order, security and social peace" within Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling, and informing the domestic policies...
later (1899). President German Riesco
Germán Riesco
Germán Riesco Errázuriz was a Chilean political figure, and he served as President of Chile between 1901 and 1906.-Early life:...
appointed him Minister of the Interior (1903) and then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization (1903–1904). In 1906 Sotomayor was elected Senator for "Aconcagua" (1906–1912).
President Pedro Montt
Pedro Montt
Pedro Elías Pablo Montt Montt was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile from 1906 to his death from a probable stroke in 1910...
appointed him Minister of Finance (1906–1907) and then Minister of the Interior (1907–1908). As such he is held responsible of giving the shoot-to-kill order to General Roberto Silva Renard
Roberto Silva Renard
Roberto Silva Renard was a Chilean military and political figure who served in the War of the Pacific and the Chilean Civil War...
that caused the Santa María School massacre
Santa María School massacre
The Santa María School massacre was a massacre of striking workers, mostly saltpeter miners, along with wives and children, committed by the Chilean Army in Iquique, Chile on December 21, 1907. The number of victims is undetermined but is reliably estimated at over 2,000...
in 1907, where the estimates range between 1,100 and 3,500 men, women and children killed. His reputation never recovered.
Sotomayor died of Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
on board the ship Infanta Isabel, in front of Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, at the age of 69, on the return trip from Europe, after having been Chilean Ambassador to France.