René Lagos

Héctor René Lagos Rojo (18 August 1918 – July 2017) was a Chilean physician, entrepreneur, academic, and politician, affiliated with the Radical Party of Chile and later with the Radical Democracy.

Born in Punta Arenas on 18 August 1918, he was the son of Alfredo Lagos Rivera and Elena Rojo Indo. He attended schools in Antofagasta, the Internado Nacional Barros Arana, the Instituto Nacional, and completed his secondary education at the Liceo Nocturno Presidente Balmaceda.

He first entered the Faculty of Medicine at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and later transferred to the University of Chile, where he earned his medical degree on 14 May 1952. He specialized in phthisiology (tuberculosis medicine).

He married Leonor Contreras Valdés on 7 April 1951 in Santiago, and they had three children.

Lagos began his medical practice as a phthisiologist at the Barros Luco Trudeau Hospital in Santiago (1950–1952), before relocating to the Hospital de Talca, where he served from 1952 to 1961, 1965 to 1966, and 1974 to 1981.

He worked with the Rehabilitation Association of Alcoholics (ARDA) in Talca and founded the ARDA branch for women in 1979. He provided free medical services in Talca and practiced as a rural physician in the areas of Lo Figueroa, Pencahue, and Corinto (1956–1961). He retired from active medical service in April 1989.

In academia, he was assistant in chemistry and medicine at the Catholic University (1940–1943); assistant in phthisiology under Professor Sótero del Río (1952–1953); and teacher at the Women's Technical School and the Commercial School of Talca (1956–1958).

As an entrepreneur, he leased and managed the “Pocoa” estate in Corinto (1958–1961). He joined the Cooperative of Bus and Truck Owners of Talca in 1954 and served as its president from 1957 to 1975.

He was a Freemason (Lodge “Voltaire 18”, since 1955), a member of the Talca Rotary Club (1965–1979), of the Talca Mutual Union (1957), and of the Athletic Sports Club “Comercio” (1957–1991).

Lagos joined the Radical Party in 1942. He was elected councillor of Talca (1960–1961) and then Deputy for the 12th Departmental Grouping “Talca, Lontué and Curepto” for the 1961–1965 legislative term. He served on the Standing Committee on Medical-Social Assistance and Hygiene, and as substitute member of the Committee on Internal Government.

In 1965, he ran unsuccessfully for the Senate representing the 6th Provincial Grouping “Curicó, Talca, Linares and Maule.”

Opposing the Radical Party's alliance with the leftist Unidad Popular, Lagos co-founded the Radical Democracy in 1969. He was again a candidate for deputy in 1973 and later in the 1989 elections (District 37, Talca) as an independent within the centrist alliance Alianza de Centro, but was not elected. He retired from politics thereafter.

In 1962, he received an Honorary Diploma from Rector Horacio Aravena of the Universidad Técnica del Estado (UTE) for his contribution to the establishment of the Talca campus.

On 12 May 2014, the Municipality of Talca recognized him as an «Illustrious Citizen» of the city.^[1]

René Lagos Rojo passed away in July 2017 in Santiago.

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