Agustín Edwards Mac Clure

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Agustín Edwards McClure (June 17, 1878 - 1941) was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and businessman, and founder of the Santiago edition of El Mercurio newspaper.

Agustín Edwards was born in Santiago, the son of Agustín Edwards Ross and of Luisa McClure Ossandón. In 1900 he founded the Santiago edition of El Mercurio newspaper, using the same name of the newspaper he inherited from his father and that was published in Valparaíso. He also wrote and published some history books: My Native Land, published in English; El Alba and Cuatro Presidentes de Chile, that refer to the administrations of presidents Prieto, Bulnes, Montt and Pérez.

He was a member of the lower house of the Chilean National Congress for four consecutive periods, between 1900 to 1910, representing the Partido Nacional. He was also Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization during the presidency of Germán Riesco, and again during the presidency of Pedro Montt, under whom was also named Interior Minister. In 1910 he was named a Plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and had a very important participation in the negotiations with Peru, with respect to the plesbicite that was to solve the question of the property of Tacna and Arica.

As executor of the will of businessman and philanthropist Federico Santa María Carrera, he founded the University that still bears his name.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Máximo del Campo
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization
1903
Succeeded by
Rafael Sotomayor Gaete
Preceded by
Luis Antonio Vergara
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization
1905
Succeeded by
Federico Puga
Preceded by
José Rafael Balmaceda
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization
1909 - 1910
Succeeded by
Luis Izquierdo
Preceded by
Ismael Tocornal
Minister of the Interior
1910
Succeeded by
Elías Fernández
Languages