Gustavo Cardemil

Gustavo Cardemil Alfaro was a Chilean industrial chemist and Christian Democratic politician.

Biography

He completed his primary and secondary education at the Instituto Rafael Ariztía and the Liceo de Hombres “Santiago Escutti Orrego” in Quillota. He later enrolled at the Polytechnic Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, graduating as an industrial chemist.
He worked at the Caja de Previsión de Empleados Particulares from 1942 to 1960. During this time, he lived in Rancagua and Valparaíso, eventually becoming Head of the Mortgage Loans Department. As a prominent trade union leader, he served as president of the Provincial Confederation of Private Employees of Chile and also held the presidency of the Association of Semi-Public Employees.

He began his political involvement while still in school, when he assumed the presidency of the Federation of Secondary Students. In 1957, he joined the Christian Democratic Party, where he became a national councilor in 1963.
He was elected Deputy for Imperial, Quillota, Limache, and Casablanca, serving on the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Security. He was re-elected Deputy for the same constituency, during which he sat on the Standing Committee on Economy and Trade.
Once again elected Deputy for Valparaíso, he became a member of the Standing Committee on Mining and Industry. However, this legislative term was cut short following the military coup of September 11, 1973, which overthrew the government and suspended the Constitution.
After the dictatorship, he joined the Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia and was again elected Deputy for District 14, representing the municipality of Viña del Mar. In this period, he participated in the Standing Committee on National Defense.