Radomiro Tomic
Encyclopedia
Radomiro Tomic Romero was a Chile
an politician of Croatian
origin. He was one of the most prominent leaders of that country's Christian Democrat Party
.
Born in Antofagasta
, Tomic received his law degree from the Universidad Católica de Chile
(UC), where he first became involved in political activity, in the Social Christian Party. One of the co-founders in 1938 of the Falange Nacional (later the Christian Democrat Party of Chile
or PDC), he became president of the party 1946–1947 and 1952–1953. He was married to Olaya Errázuriz Echenique, and together they had 10 children.
Among other activities Tomic was director of the newspaper El Tarapacá of Iquique
(1937–1941) and later of the Editorial del Pacífico.
Tomic served as deputy
for Arica
, Pisagua and Iquique
(1941–1949). When senator
and poet Pablo Neruda
was banned by the Ley de Defensa Permanente de la Democracia (Law for the Permanent Defense of Democracy)—which banned the Communist Party of Chile
and removed numerous voters from the rolls)—Tomić won the vacated seat in a by-election. He served as senator for Tarapacá
and Antofagasta
(1950–1961), and then for Aconcagua
and Valparaíso
(1961–1965). In 1965 he resigned his senatorial seat to become Chile's ambassador to the United States
(4 March 1965 – April 1968).
As leader of the progressive wing of the Christian Democrates, he was the party's presidential candidate in the 1970 election
in which Salvador Allende
won a plurality and, with Tomic's support, was ratified by parliament as president. Allende died three years later in the Chilean coup of 1973
, which put an end to democracy in Chile for over 15 years.
As a parliamentarian and politician Tomic was a defender of Chilean sovereignty over the country's copper
deposits and in the nationalization of that industry
. In 1997, CODELCO
named a Radomiro Tomić mine
in his honor.
Tomic died in 1992 in Santiago.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an politician of Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
origin. He was one of the most prominent leaders of that country's Christian Democrat Party
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
.
Born in Antofagasta
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905...
, Tomic received his law degree from the Universidad Católica de Chile
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile is one of the six Catholic Universities existing in the Chilean university system and one of the two Pontifical Universities in the country, along with the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. It is also one of Chile's oldest universities and...
(UC), where he first became involved in political activity, in the Social Christian Party. One of the co-founders in 1938 of the Falange Nacional (later the Christian Democrat Party of Chile
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
or PDC), he became president of the party 1946–1947 and 1952–1953. He was married to Olaya Errázuriz Echenique, and together they had 10 children.
Among other activities Tomic was director of the newspaper El Tarapacá of Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
(1937–1941) and later of the Editorial del Pacífico.
Tomic served as deputy
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
for Arica
Arica
Arica is a city in northern Chile. "Arica" may also refer to:Places* Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile* Arica Airport , Chile* Arica, Amazonas, town in Colombia* Rio Aricá-açu, tributary of the Cuiabá River south of Cuiabá, BrazilOther...
, Pisagua and Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
(1941–1949). When senator
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
and poet Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
was banned by the Ley de Defensa Permanente de la Democracia (Law for the Permanent Defense of Democracy)—which banned the Communist Party of Chile
Communist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
and removed numerous voters from the rolls)—Tomić won the vacated seat in a by-election. He served as senator for Tarapacá
Tarapacá
Tarapacá may refer to:*Tarapacá Province, Chile, a former province, now divided into**Tarapacá Region**Arica-Parinacota Region*Tarapacá Department , a former department of Peru...
and Antofagasta
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905...
(1950–1961), and then for Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
and Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
(1961–1965). In 1965 he resigned his senatorial seat to become Chile's ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(4 March 1965 – April 1968).
As leader of the progressive wing of the Christian Democrates, he was the party's presidential candidate in the 1970 election
Chilean presidential election, 1970
A presidential election was held in Chile on 4 September 1970. A narrow plurality was secured by Salvador Allende, the candidate of the Popular Unity coalition of leftist parties...
in which Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
won a plurality and, with Tomic's support, was ratified by parliament as president. Allende died three years later in the Chilean coup of 1973
Chilean coup of 1973
The 1973 Chilean coup d'état was a watershed event of the Cold War and the history of Chile. Following an extended period of political unrest between the conservative-dominated Congress of Chile and the socialist-leaning President Salvador Allende, discontent culminated in the latter's downfall in...
, which put an end to democracy in Chile for over 15 years.
As a parliamentarian and politician Tomic was a defender of Chilean sovereignty over the country's copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
deposits and in the nationalization of that industry
Chilean nationalization of copper
The nationalization of the Chilean copper industry commonly described as the Chilenización del cobre or "Chileanisation of copper," was the progressive process by which the Chilean government acquired control of the major foreign-owned section of the Chilean copper mining industry. It involved the...
. In 1997, CODELCO
Codelco
CODELCO is the Chilean state owned copper mining company formed in 1976 from the foreign owned copper companies that were nationalised in 1971. The headquarters are in Santiago and the seven-man board of directors is appointed by the President of the Republic...
named a Radomiro Tomić mine
Radomiro Tomic (mine)
The Radomiro Tomić mine is open pit mine that extracts oxide minerals at above sea level in the Andes mountains near to Chuquicamata mine and Calama in northern Chile's Antofagasta Region....
in his honor.
Tomic died in 1992 in Santiago.