Background
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was born on 25 August 1831 in Santiago.
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was born on 25 August 1831 in Santiago.
As a very young man was secretary of the Sociedad de la Igualdad organized by Francisco Bilbao Barquín in 1850. He participated in an attempted military coup in April 1851 and was sentenced to death. However, he escaped from jail, and went abroad, first to California and then to Europe. Returning home in 1856, he edited a newspaper that opposed the government of President Manuel Montt Torres. He was again exiled to Europe in 1858, returning home in 1863.
A Liberal, Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1864, serving until his election to the Senate in 1876. He also served as mayor of Santiago from 1872 to 1876, during which period he contributed extensively to modernizing and beautifying the capital city.
In the election of 1876, Vicuña Mackenna organized the Liberal Democratic party to support his presidential aspirations. He garnered wide popular support but a few days before the election he withdrew his candidacy.
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was an exceedingly prolific writer. He had more than 80 books published, as well as many articles in reviews and newspapers.