Luis Danús
General Luis Danús | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Economy | |
| In office 1983–1983 | |
| President | Augusto Pinochet |
| Preceded by | Rolando Ramos Muñoz |
| Succeeded by | Rolf Lüders |
| Minister-Director of the National Planning Office (ODEPLAN) | |
| In office 1981–1982 | |
| President | Augusto Pinochet |
| Preceded by | Álvaro Donoso Barros |
| Succeeded by | Gastón Frez |
| Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1980–1981 | |
| President | Augusto Pinochet |
| Vice President-Executive of the Production Development Corporation (CORFO) | |
| In office 29 October 1975 – 31 July 1979 | |
| President | Augusto Pinochet |
| Intendant of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region | |
| In office 18 December 1984 – 19 December 1986 | |
| President | Augusto Pinochet |
| Preceded by | Juan Guillermo Toro Dávila |
| Succeeded by | Claudio López Silva |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1, 1929 |
| Died | September 10, 2013 (aged 84) |
| Party | Independent Democratic Union |
| Spouse | Tamara Chirighin |
| Children | Five |
| Parent(s) | Francisco Danús; Rita Covián |
| Alma mater | School of the Americas |
| Occupation | Military officer; politician |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Chilean Army |
| Rank | Army general |
Luis Francisco Danús Covián (1929 – 10 September 2013) was a Chilean public accountant, army officer and politician affiliated with the Independent Democratic Union (UDI). During the military government he served on the presidential advisory committee in the 1970s, and later held senior posts including Vice President-Executive of CORFO (1975–1979), Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs (1980–1981), Minister-Director of the National Planning Office (ODEPLAN) (1981–1982) and Minister of Economy (1983).[1][2]
In June 1983, as Minister of Economy, he appeared on national television to announce the end of the fixed exchange rate of 39 pesos per U.S. dollar, revalued to 46. He later served as Intendant of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region from 18 December 1984 to 19 December 1986.[1]
Family and education
He was the son of Francisco Danús and Rita Covián. He married Tamara Patricia Chirighin Chamorro, with whom he had five children: Alejandro, Luis Patricio, Rita Verónica, Luz María and Francisco Javier.[1]
After joining the Chilean Army, he attended the School of the Americas in 1959 and later became deputy director of the Escuela Militar del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins.[1]
Political career
Following the return to democracy, Danús ran for the Senate representing the Magallanes Region for the 1990–1994 legislative period.[note 1] He obtained 19,230 votes (24.4%) but was not elected.[1]
Later, as a member of the Corporación 11 de Septiembre (an association of former officers), he criticized as “undue harassment” the human-rights cases brought against more than 240 servicemen, arguing that “terrorists have been granted pardons or commutations.”[2][1]
He also chaired the National Association of Retired Armed Forces and Carabineros. In the 2009 Chilean presidential election he supported Sebastián Piñera. Danús died in Santiago on 10 September 2013 from cancer, aged 83; his funeral mass was held at the Military Cathedral of Chile.[2]
Notes
- ^ Under the transitional article 45 of the Constitution and article 16 of Law 18,700, some senatorial seats were set at four years and others at eight to stagger renewals.