Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure

Who was Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure?

Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and businessman, and founder of the Santiago edition of El Mercurio newspaper.

Agustín Edwards was born in Santiago, the son of Agustín Edwards Ross and of Luisa McClure Ossandón. In 1900 he founded the Santiago edition of El Mercurio newspaper, using the same name of the newspaper he inherited from his father and that was published in Valparaíso. He also wrote and published some history books: My Native Land, published in English; El Alba and Cuatro Presidentes de Chile, that refer to the administrations of presidents Prieto, Bulnes, Montt and Pérez.

He was a member of the lower house of the Chilean National Congress for four consecutive periods, between 1900 to 1910, representing the Partido Nacional. He was also Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cult and Colonization during the presidency of Germán Riesco, and again during the presidency of Pedro Montt, under whom was also named Interior Minister. In 1910 he was named a Plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and had a very important participation in the negotiations with Peru, with respect to the plesbicite that was to solve the question of the property of Tacna and Arica.