Graciela Lacoste

Graciela Lacoste Navarro (27 October 1902 – 4 March 1971) was a Chilean chemist, pharmacist, and politician. She served multiple terms as Deputy for the 6th Departmental Group (1961–1971) until her death in office.

A pioneer in women’s political participation, she co-founded the Civic Women’s Party and the Unión Femenina de Chile.

Born in Santiago in 1902, Lacoste studied at the Liceo No. 4 de Niñas and Colegio Santa Teresa before enrolling at the University of Chile, where she graduated as a pharmacist in 1927 with a thesis on the preparation of adrenaline. She later worked as a public health official and taught courses at the University of Chile in Valparaíso.

She was active in women’s organizations from the 1920s, helping to secure municipal suffrage in 1934 and representing Chile at the Inter-American Commission of Women in 1951. In 1959 she joined the Christian Democratic Party and was elected Deputy in 1961, being re-elected in 1965 and 1969. During her decade in Congress she sat on committees dealing with public health, housing, constitutional law, and justice.

She remained engaged in numerous civic associations and social initiatives. Lacoste died in Viña del Mar in March 1971, leading to a by-election won by Óscar Marín Socías.

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