Carlos Garcés Fernández

Carlos Arturo Garcés Fernández (9 June 1927 – 28 February 2017) was a Chilean agronomist and politician.

He served as Deputy for the 11th Departmental Group (Curicó and Mataquito) from 1965 until the dissolution of Congress in 1973. He also served as Mayor of Sagrada Familia from 1957 to 1961.

He was born on 9 June 1927 in Santiago, the son of Carlos Garcés Guzmán and Blanca Fernández Beaucheff. He died in the same city on 28 February 2017.

He was married to Isabel Margarita Ureta Mackenna, with whom he had five children.

He completed his primary and secondary studies at the Colegio San Ignacio. After finishing school, he entered the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC), where he graduated as an agronomist with highest distinction in 1953, presenting the thesis Viviendas campesinas y organización agrícola (“Rural Housing and Agricultural Organization”). Later, he completed postgraduate studies in agricultural business management and viticulture and winemaking at the same university.

He began his political activity by joining the Conservative Party in 1957, remaining in that organization until 1961. During this period, he was elected Mayor of the commune of Sagrada Familia, serving from 1957 to 1961.

In 1961 he joined the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), where he held various positions. That same year, he was once again elected mayor, now representing the PDC, serving until 1965.

In the 1965 parliamentary elections he was elected Deputy for the 11th Departmental Group (Curicó and Mataquito), for the period 1965–1969. During his work he chaired the Tripartite Agriculture Commission of his party (1965–1968). In Congress, he participated in the Committees on Agriculture and Colonization (which he also chaired); Medical Assistance and Social Hygiene; Foreign Affairs; and Finance. He was also part of several Special Committees: Sports (1965); Winegrowing (1965); the Wine Committee (which he chaired); and the Investigative Committee on events at the El Salvador mine (1965–1966).

In the 1969 parliamentary elections he was reelected Deputy for the same district, for the period 1969–1973. He sat on the Committees on Agriculture and Colonization, and on Foreign Affairs.

He obtained a second reelection for the period 1973–1977. He was a member of the Finance Committee. His legislative work was interrupted by the coup d'état of 1973 and the subsequent dissolution of the National Congress (Decree-Law 27 of 21 September 1973).

Within his party he was appointed provincial vice-president for Talca for two years. Between 1967 and 1970, he held six leadership positions, including serving as National Treasurer.

He also represented President Eduardo Frei Montalva in the Government Commission for the Agricultural Sector.

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