Ismael Tocornal

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Ismael Tocornal
Ismael Tocornal

Ismael Tocornal Tocornal (April 5, 1850 - October 6, 1929) was a Chilean politician and diplomat, and the first Governor of the Central Bank of Chile.

He was born in Santiago, the son of Manuel Antonio Tocornal y Grez and of Mercedes Ignacia Tocornal Velasco. He completed his studies in the Colegio San Ignacio and at the Instituto Nacional. Trucco then attended the Universidad de Chile, where he graduated as a lawyer on June 20, 1873. Early in his life he dedicated most of his time to his Hacienda San José in Puente Alto. Ismael Tocornal married Leonor Cazotte Alcalde, and together they had one son. After the death of his first wife, he married a second time with Josefina Matte Pérez, but they had no children.

Tocornal joined the Radical Party and he was elected supplementary deputy for "La Victoria" (1879-1882), and reelected, this time as propietary deputy for the same area (1882-1885). In 1891 was elected deputy for "Melipilla and La Victoria" (1891-1894) and in 1897 deputy for "Cauquenes and Constitución" (1897-1900). He was elected President of the Chamber of deputies on June 9, 1897, position he held until July 2, 1898.

President Germán Riesco appointed him Minister of Industry and Public Works, position he held from September 18, 1901 until November 18 of the same year, when he was reappointed as Minister of the Interior, until May 6, 1902. President Pedro Montt appointed him again as Minister of the Interior between September 15, 1909 and June 17, 1910, same as Presidents Ramón Barros Luco between January 23 and May 20, 1912; Juan Luis Sanfuentes between July 14 and September 11, 1917 and Arturo Alessandri between November 3, 1921 and March 22, 1922.

In 1915, Tocornal was elected a Senator for "Ñuble" (1915-1921). On June 3, 1918 was elected President of the Senate, position he held until September 8, 1919. In 1919 he was designated as Especial Ambassador to the United Kingdom and headed the delegation that returned the courtesy visit of Especial Ambassador Maurice de Bunsen. During that visit, King George V appointed him Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) of the Order of St Michael and St George.

In 1920, he was part of the tribunal of honor that decided the result of the presidential election between Arturo Alessandri and Luis Barros Borgoño. On June 26, 1922 he was once again elected as a Senator, this time for "Santiago", where he remained until 1924. At the creation of the Central Bank of Chile in 1925, Tocornal was appointed its first Governor, a position he retained until his death in Santiago in 1929, at the age of 79.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Joaquín Fernández
Minister of Industry and Public Works
1901
Succeeded by
Rafael Orrego
Preceded by
Ramón Barros Luco
Minister of the Interior
1901-1902
Succeeded by
Ramón Barros Luco
Preceded by
Enrique Rodríguez
Minister of the Interior
1909-1910
Succeeded by
Agustín Edwards Mac Clure
Preceded by
Abraham Ovalle
Minister of the Interior
1912
Succeeded by
Guillermo Rivera
Preceded by
Enrique Zañartu
Minister of the Interior
1917
Succeeded by
Eliodoro Yáñez
Preceded by
Eduardo Charme
President of the Senate
1918-1919
Succeeded by
Luis Claro Solar
Preceded by
Héctor Arancibia
Minister of the Interior
1921-1922
Succeeded by
Jorge Matte
Preceded by
Position created
Governor of Central Bank
1926 - 1929
Succeeded by
Emiliano Figueroa