René Maturana

René Gabriel Maturana Maldonado (10 February 1955 – 12 August 2009) was a Chilean journalist and the 36th Mayor of Pichilemu, holding the position from his appointment by President Augusto Pinochet Ugarte on 31 August 1984 until his resignation in April 1992.

René Maturana Maldonado
36th Mayor of Pichilemu
In office 31 August 1984 – April 1992
Preceded by	Emilio Merino Lacoste
Succeeded by	Gustavo Parraguez Galarce (acting) Orlando Cornejo Bustamante
Personal details
Born	René Gabriel Maturana Maldonado 10 February 1955
Died	12 August 2009 (aged 54) Rancagua, Chile
Nationality	Chilean
Spouse(s)	María Angélica Rivera
Children	Pamela Maturana Rivera María Gabriela Maturana Rivera
Residence	Rancagua, Chile
Profession	Journalist

Maturana also was an academic at Andrés Bello National University, and was the President of the Rancagua chapter of the College of Teachers of Chile (Spanish: Colegio de Profesores de Chile).[1]

Biography

René Gabriel Maturana Maldonado was born on 10 February 1955.

Mayor of Pichilemu

Maturana worked in the O'Higgins regional offices of the Government General Secretariat Ministry until he was appointed Mayor of Pichilemu by the government —set by a coup d'état in 1973— of President Augusto Pinochet Ugarte on 31 August 1984,[2] to replace Emilio Merino Lacoste. Maturana Maldonado was the last mayor to be appointed by the Pinochet military regime, which remained in power until 1990. Former councilor of Pichilemu Washington Saldías noted in an article published on Pichilemu News following Maturana's death, that his mayorship was "marked by significant advances in almost all areas, and whose value was that they were all performed with municipal resources." Saldías also noted that Maturana's work, "although [made] with low municipal budgets, will be remembered as one of the best mayorships [in Pichilemu]."[3]

Through his first year as mayor of Pichilemu, his government spent 17 million pesos making improvements to the Costanera Cardenal José María Caro Avenue (Avenida Costanera Cardenal José María Caro), the municipal stadium —including the construction of an athletic track, Olympic grid—, announced plans to supply electricity to the Santa Teresita, Ramón Freire and Jorge Errázuriz streets and nearby neighborhoods, supplied with telephone, television, and mail services to the villages of Cáhuil and Ciruelos, made minor repairs to the municipal forest, and repaired the municipal gymnasium.[4] Also during his first year as mayor, the local hospital (Hospital de Pichilemu) was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by President Augusto Pinochet, and in later years, Maturana created the municipal boarding school, paved the Costanera Avenue —which borders the coast of Pichilemu—,[3] created the Arturo Prat Square near Playa Principal,[5] financed the re-modelling of the Agustín Ross Park, which was re-inaugurated with celebrations on 13 December 1987,[6] and created the newspaper El Pichilemino, directed by Félix Calderón; the newspaper circulated between 1985 and 1986.[7] Maturana founded public schools in Pueblo de Viudas, Infiernillo, Alto Ramírez, and El Potrero —in current Paredones—, which were inaugurated simultaneously in 1988. In 1989, he created the Public Library of Pichilemu, which is now hosted at the Agustín Ross Cultural Center. Additionally, the former casino created by Agustín Ross Edwards and its adjacent park were declared National Monuments of Chile.[8] He also created several music festivals for Pichilemu, bringing artists like Miriam Hernández, and Luis Jara to local scenarios.[9]

He was confirmed in the office by the Region of O'Higgins Development Council on 16 October 1989, which decided that Maturana would remain Mayor of Pichilemu for "good service" reasons.[10] Maturana Maldonado resigned as mayor of Pichilemu in April 1992, and Gustavo Parraguez Galarce, municipal secretary, was named acting mayor of Pichilemu; he held office until the first municipal election since the return to democracy saw Orlando Cornejo Bustamante elected mayor of the commune.[11] His mayorship has been qualified as "the golden years of the commune of Pichilemu."[12]

Later life

After he resigned as Mayor of Pichilemu, he worked as journalist for the Rancagua-based newspaper El Rancagüino, and as a professor at Andrés Bello National University and its institute, AIEP. He also worked as Public Relations official for FUSAT (Fundación de Salud El Teniente, El Teniente Health Foundation),[3] and was also President of the O'Higgins regional chapter of the College of Journalists of Chile (Colegio de Periodistas de Chile) for almost a decade.[13]

Illness and death

In 2008, his health condition suddenly worsened, and was affected by a peritonitis and a "severe metastasis" caused by the removal of one kidney one year before. He was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit at Clínica FUSAT in Rancagua in May 2008, and underwent surgery on the 14th of that month. His condition was described by his doctor as being in "serious condition and in danger of death because of septicemia complications."[13] His condition improved by July 2008.[9]

However, he fell ill again by July 2009; local newspaper El Expreso de la Costa said at the time: "the life of a great former mayor of Pichilemu is getting shut down."[12] He was diagnosed with lung cancer,[12][14] and died on 12 August 2009 at 09:00 local time in Rancagua, Chile.[3] A mass was conducted by Father Bernabé Silva —cura párroco (priest of the parish of Pichilemu) through Maturana's term— at the Iglesia del Divino Maestro in Rancagua, which was attended by relatives, people from Pichilemu, politicians from Rancagua including mayor Eduardo Soto, amid others.[15] was buried at the Parque Jardín de las Flores, in the commune of Machalí, on the following day.[8]

Personal life

René Maturana and family, circa 1988.

René Maturana was married to María Angélica Rivera, with whom he had two daughters: Pamela, a kinesiologist, and María Gabriela, an odontologist.[13]

References

1. Pérez Arce, David (12 August 2011). "Una misa de recordación del periodista René Maturana será oficiada esta tarde". El Cachapoal. Rancagua, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
2. "Designa alcalde suplente en la Municipalidad de Pichilemu a don René Maturana Maldonado" (in Spanish). Library of the National Congress of Chile. 7 February 1985. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
3. Saldías, Washington (12 August 2009). "Falleció ex alcalde de Pichilemu: René Maturana Maldonado". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
4. Saldías, Washington (31 January 1986). "17 milones para obras de adelanto". Pichilemu (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile: Talleres Offset La Nación. p. 6.
5. Saldías, Washington (8 July 2009). "Oraciones por salud de ex alcalde René Maturana Maldonado". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
6. Saldías, Washington (22 September 2007). "Ex alcalde Maturana, el parque y la actual zona típica de antigua Población Ross". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
7. Saldías, Washington (29 June 2008). "Director de "El Expreso de la Costa": 'Con más fuerza, una sola línea, informaremos de todo, para todos'". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
8. Saldías, Washington (14 July 2008). "Hoy despiden en Rancagua a un gran hombre público: René Maturana Maldonado, periodista y ex alcalde de Pichilemu". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
9. Calderón, Félix (July 2008). "Pichilemu y su gente son uno de los recuerdos más hermosos de una importante etapa de mi vida". El Expreso de la Costa (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. p. 8.
10. "Designa alcalde titular de la comuna de Pichilemu" (in Spanish). Library of the National Congress of Chile. 10 February 1990. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013. Nómbrase a contar de esta fecha Alcalde titular de la I. Municipalidad de Pichilemu grado 7 de la Escala Unica Municipal, a don René Gabriel Maturana Maldonado. La persona designada por razones de buen servicio deberá asumir sus funciones el día 16 de octubre de 1989." ("Be named from now on Mayor of the Illustrious Municipality of Pichilemu, seventh grade in the unique municipal scale, Mr. René Gabriel Maturana Maldonado. The person, appointed for good service reasons, may assume his functions on 16 October 1989.")
11. Saldías, Washington (2 August 2007). "Alcaldes, regidores y concejales de la comuna de Pichilemu". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
12. Calderón, Félix (July 2009). "René Maturana, enfrenta su momento más difícil". El Expreso de la Costa (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. p. 8.
13. Saldías, Washington (16 May 2008). "Ex alcalde de Pichilemu René Maturana internado en la Fusat". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
14. Saldías, Washington (14 July 2008). "Este sábado 19 de julio, edición especial vacaciones de invierno de El Expreso de la Costa". Pichilemu News (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
15. Calderón, Félix (August 2009). "Su querido Pichilemu también lo fue a despedir". El Expreso de la Costa (in Spanish). Pichilemu, Chile. p. 8.