Orlando Millas
José Orlando Millas Correa was a Chilean lawyer, journalist, writer and politician.
He served three consecutive terms as Deputy for the 7th Departamental Group between 1961 and 1972, and later became Minister of Finance and Minister of Economy, Development and Reconstruction under President Salvador Allende.
Early life
He studied at the Instituto Nacional General José Miguel Carrera, the Federico Hansen Night School, and the Liceo Balmaceda. He later entered the Law School of the University of Chile.Between 1933 and 1943, he worked at the Comptroller General of Chile. His main career, however, was journalism. From 1937 to 1938 he directed the newspaper Claridad, later working as a foreign correspondent for the daily Extra. Between 1942 and 1945 he was a reporter for El Siglo, becoming its director in 1952.
He also wrote chronicles from Bolivia and Europe, and participated in the International Economic Conference held in Moscow in 1952.
Family
On 7 August 1943, he married Amalia Adriana Pérez Ibáñez in Santiago. They had three children: Carlos, Laura and Adriana. Their youngest daughter was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1961.Political career
Millas began his political activity in the Socialist Youth Federation, where he became Secretary General. Later he joined the Communist Party of Chile, where he was a member of the Political Commission and of the Central Committee for ten years. During the government of Gabriel González Videla he was relegated to Putre.In the 1961 elections he was elected Deputy for the 7th Departamental Group for the 1961–1965 term. He served on the Permanent Commission of Constitution, Legislation and Justice.
He was re-elected in the 1965 elections for the 1965–1969 term, serving on the Commissions of Foreign Relations and Constitution, Legislation and Justice.
In the 1969 elections he was elected for a third consecutive term, now for the 7th Departamental Group “Pedro Aguirre Cerda and Puente Alto”. Between 9 and 16 September 1969 he was First Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies. He also served on the Commissions of Constitution, Legislation and Justice, and Housing and Urbanism, which he chaired.
On 17 June 1972 he was appointed Minister of Finance by President Salvador Allende Gossens, serving until 11 January 1973. From 29 December 1972 to 5 July 1973 he was also Minister of Economy, Development and Reconstruction, and temporarily held the Finance portfolio between May and August 1973. In these roles he oversaw the creation of the Juntas de Abastecimiento y Precios. He was removed from office after a constitutional accusation initiated by the opposition.
He was director and secretary-general of the Journalists’ Circle and one of the founders of the Colegio de Periodistas de Chile.
After the coup d’état of 1973, he went into exile. He died in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in December 1991.