Miguel Jarpa Vallejos

Miguel Jarpa Vallejos (11 July 1911 – 29 September 1979) was a Chilean ethnologist, farmer, and politician, member of the Radical Party. He served as Deputy for the 16th Departmental District (Chillán, Bulnes and Yungay) during the legislative period 1965–1969.

He was born in Cerro Negro, Ñuble Province, on 11 July 1911, the son of Abel Jarpa Gacitúa and Concepción Vallejos Ramos. He was the brother of parliamentarian Abel Jarpa.

He studied at the Liceo de Hombres of Chillán and later at the Liceo de Hombres of Concepción. In 1935, he completed a course in ethnology, obtaining the title of ethnologist.

He worked as an agricultural administrator in a brokerage office established in Concepción, dedicated to the management of rural estates.

Between 1932 and 1934, he worked as interim civil officer of the Regional Office of the Civil Registry in Río Negro. In 1939, he was employed by the Reconstruction Office of Concepción, created after the devastating Chillán earthquake that year.

From an early age, Jarpa became involved with the Radical Party. He served as president of the Radical Assembly in Laja, Bulnes, Quillón, and Cerro Negro; as a member of the Ñuble Provincial Executive Committee; and as a delegate to Radical Party conventions. He was also active in the Radical Youth of Concepción.

During the presidency of Juan Antonio Ríos, he served twice as governor of the Department of Bulnes.

He coordinated the presidential campaigns of several Radical and center-left candidates, including Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Juan Antonio Ríos, Pedro Enrique Alfonso, Luis Bossay, and Julio Durán.

In 1965, he was elected Deputy for the 16th Departmental District (Chillán, Bulnes and Yungay), serving during the legislative period 1965–1969.

He died in Santiago on 29 September 1979.

• Biografías de Chilenos: Miembros de los Poderes Ejecutivo, Legislativo y Judicial, 1876–1973, Armando de Ramón et al., Ediciones Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 2003.

• BCN Profile