Roberto Flores Álvarez

Roberto Flores Álvarez was a Chilean accountant, writer, poet and politician. He served as Deputy for the 3rd Departamental Group and was also Intendant of the province of Coquimbo.

Biography

Flores was born in Vallenar on 15 November 1909. He completed his early education in his hometown and later in La Serena, graduating as an accountant from the Instituto Superior de Comercio de Coquimbo.
He worked at the Customs Office in Huasco and married Iris Barraza, with whom he had two children. He was also the uncle of historian Kabur Flores.
Beyond his public service, Flores had an active cultural life. He published poetry from 1932 onward in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies, appearing in Francisco Galano's «Antología de los grandes poetas». In 1949 he was named “Poet of the Miners” by the National Convention of Mining Associations.
He was a long-time columnist for El Noticiero Huasquino and El Día, with over 30 years of continuous work at the latter. As a composer, he authored “Nocturno a Gabriela” and “La Serena eterna,” winners of the Criolla category at the Festival del Clavel in 1976 and 1977.
Flores died of cardiac arrest in La Serena on 10 December 1984, the same day he was to receive the Regional Literature Prize.

Political career

In 1952 he was appointed Intendant of the province of Coquimbo.
He won the 13 September 1953 by-election for the 3rd Departamental Group, representing the Popular Socialist Party, following the death of Deputy Héctor Montero Soto. He assumed office on 20 October 1953.
He later ran unsuccessfully as Deputy for Coquimbo in 1958 and Atacama in 1957, and for municipal office in La Serena in 1963.