Manuel Rodríguez Valenzuela (9 May 1900 – 28 November 1956) was a Chilean teacher, professor, and politician affiliated with the Radical Party of Chile.
Early life and education He was born in the Chilean commune of Juan Fernández on 9 May 1900, the son of Manuel Rodríguez Godoy and Elsa Valenzuela. He received his primary education at the Internado Nacional Barros Arana and his secondary education at the Liceo Manuel Barros Borgoño. He subsequently studied at the Pedagogical Institute and the University of Chile, qualifying as a teacher of Spanish and philosophy in 1922.
He married Raquel Grez, with whom he had three children: Jorge, Elisa and Pablo. The latter became a lawyer and founded the paramilitary organisation Frente Nacionalista Patria y Libertad (FNPL), which opposed the socialist government of President Salvador Allende (1970–1973).
Professional career He began his professional career as a Spanish teacher at the Liceo Manuel Barros Borgoño and at the School of Engineering of the Construction Supervisors' Course. He also taught Spanish and philosophy at the Liceo Miguel Luis Amunátegui until 1929, and the same subjects at the Internado Nacional Barros Arana until 1939. That year, he was appointed director of the School of Arts and Crafts.
He also served as secretary of the National Society of Teachers, was a member of the Union of Teachers of Chile, and worked as a baccalaureate examiner. In the public sector, he served on committees associated with Petróleos de Chile and the mechanised equipment division of the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción (CORFO). At CORFO, he served as a board member and as president of both its National Permanent Commission and its Permanent Commission on Industry. In the private sector, he was a director of Sociedad Industrial Pesquera Cavancha, Sociedad Química Bayer and the Salomón Sack Foundation.
Political career Rodríguez joined the Radical Party (PR) in 1918 and later served as president of the Education Commission of the party's technical organisation.
In 1928, during the first administration of President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, he served on several government commissions concerned with education and participated in reforms to the curriculum. In 1928 and again in 1931, he was involved in drafting curricula and coordinating programmes in the humanities.
In 1948, Rodríguez represented Chile at an education congress held in Caracas, Venezuela, sponsored by the United Nations and the Pan American Union. He also served as a permanent member dealing with educational affairs within the organisation, including matters relating to vocational education.
During the presidency of fellow Radical Gabriel González Videla, Rodríguez was appointed Minister of Public Education on 7 February 1950. He remained in office until 27 February 1950, when González Videla carried out a cabinet reshuffle. He was succeeded by National Falange politician Bernardo Leighton, who had previously served as minister during the second administration of President Arturo Alessandri.
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