Patricio Chavez

 

His Excellency Patricio Chavez MP
Patricio Chavez
9th Prime Minister of Patagonia
In office 15 July 1937 – 1944
Monarch	Albert II
Preceded by	Robert Baldwin
Succeeded by	Frederick Granholm
Leader of the Labour Democratic Party
In office 30 June 1935 – 30 March 1944
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Frederick Granholm
Secretary of Labor, Commerce, and Industry
In office 1925–1928
Leader	Elvis Heath
Preceded by	George Henderson
Succeeded by	Position abolished (resulting to the creation of Department of Labour and Social Services and Department of Commerce and Industry)
Secretary of Commerce and Industry
In office 1928–1933
Leader	Elvis Heath
Preceded by	Position established (he preceeded himself as the Secretary of Labor, Commerce, and Industry)
Succeeded by	Keir Shackleton
Member of National Assembly from Saint Paul
In office 20 October 1921 – 15 January 1948
Preceded by	Bartholomew Lisperger
Succeeded by	Karl van Lamoen
Leader of the Opposition
In office 30 July 1935 – 15 July 1937
Preceded by	Elvis Heath
Succeeded by	Robert Baldwin
Shadow Secretary of Commerce and Industry
In office 1933–1935
Leader	Elvis Heath
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Manuel Pascal
Mayor of Saint Gregory
In office 21 August 1919 – 22 September 1921
Preceded by	George Stanfield
Succeeded by	Nicholas Couve
Personal details
Born	(1887-10-10)10 October 1887 Cañete, Catarina, United Provinces
Died	(1948-07-28)28 July 1948 (age 87) Magallanes, Capital Territory, Patagonia
Resting place	National Freedom Cemetery
Political party	Labour (1912-1935) Labour Democrats (1935-1948)
Spouse(s)	Martina Arevalo
Children	3
Alma mater	Llanquihe State University
Profession	Politician
Religion	Avignonese Catholic
Nickname(s)	Patrick Patty

Jose Patricio Chavez Espejo (10 October 1887 – 28 July 1948) was an Adamantine-Patagonian politician who served as the 9th Prime Minister of Patagonia from 1937 to 1944. He was a Member of National Assembly for the borough of Saint Paul in Llanquihue (now part of Osorno) for two decades. During the premiersip of Elvis Heath, he hold two cabinet positions: He was appointed as Secretary of Labor, Commerce, and Industry from 1925 to 1928 and Secretary of Commerce and Industry from 1928 to 1933. He became a Shadow Secretary of Commerce and Industry from 1933 to 1937. He was the first Hispanic-Patagonian to serve as Prime Minister of Patagonia. He is also the second prime minister that did not born in Patagonia (the first one is Andrew Hamilton).

Chavez was born in the town of Cañete, Catarina, United Provinces. He immigrated to Saint Gregory in Llanquihue (now part of Osorno) after he completed his secondary studies because his mother could not support financially for his college education. He graduated with bachelor's degree of economics in Llanquihue State University. He worked as a factory worker to sustain his tertiary education. Chavez joined the labor protest during his college years against the leadership of Conservatives and Liberals. He moved from Saint Gregory to Saint Paul after he graduated college where he met his future wife. Chavez joined the Labour Party in 1912 and he was the leader of the youth wing of the party.

Chavez first entered politics in 1918 when he became the mayor of Saint Paul for three years. He first entered the National Assembly in 1921. Due to his outstanding performance in protecting the labor rights, he was appointed as a part of the Heath cabinet. Chavez was known as the heavy critic of the Conservatives and Liberals because he believed that these two parties doesn't care about the interests of the agricultural and industrial sectors. He created his own political doctrine — which emphasizes the higher tax of the big companies, higher salary for the workers, cheaper price of the goods, and supporting importation of Patagonian products—came to be known as Chavezism. Liberals criticized his political belief as it was the copycat of Ferdinand Bunster's ideas but Chavez denied.

He became the first leader of the newly-established Labour Democratic Party in 1935 after the merger of the Labour Party and Social Democratic Party. He also became the Leader of the Opposition at the same time. In 1937, Chavez elected as prime minister of Patagonia and he created a coalition with the Co-operative Party. During his ministry, he implemented the nationalization of public utilities and major industries. He implemented the Free Housing Act 1939 to improve the housing in slum areas. He passed the National Life Insurance Act 1942 and Special Assistance Act 1945. He approved the formation of Patagonian Healthcare Services Programme before the end of his term. Chavez dubbed as the "Labour Icon" and "Hispanic Bunster".