José Joaquín Blest Gana (2 December 1831 – 7 October 1880) was a Chilean lawyer, journalist and Liberal politician who served twice as Minister of Justice, Worship and Public Instruction. He was also a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and the Senate of Chile.
Education Blest Gana was born in Santiago on 2 December 1831, the son of Irish-born physician Guillermo Cunningham Blest and María de la Luz Gana López. He was the brother of novelist and diplomat Alberto Blest Gana. He married Enriqueta Sánchez Foulkner in Santiago on 23 April 1857. After her death, he married his cousin María Mercedes Gana Munizaga. He had five children.
He studied at the Instituto Nacional and later law at the University of Chile, qualifying as a lawyer on 21 July 1853. That year, the university's Faculty of Law awarded him a prize for his legal study La prueba de testigos.
Blest Gana practiced law and also pursued literary and journalistic activities. During his youth, he contributed to El Correo Literario, La Revista del Pacífico, La Semana and La Revista de Santiago. In 1854, he served as secretary of the Chilean legation in Ecuador, later publishing accounts of his journey and stay there in La Revista del Pacífico.
Political career A member of the Liberal Party, Blest Gana was elected substitute deputy for both Santiago and Chillán for the 1864–1867 legislative term, choosing to represent Chillán. He was subsequently elected for both Curicó and Chillán for 1867–1870 and again chose Chillán. In 1870, he was elected for Illapel and reelected for Chillán, once more opting for the latter constituency.
During the 1870–1873 term, he served on the Permanent Commission on Constitution, Legislation and Justice and participated in the Constituent Congress of 1870, which considered reforms to the Constitution of 1833. He was reelected for Chillán for the 1873–1876 term and served as vice president of the Chamber from 6 October 1873, becoming first vice president on 2 July 1874. He also sat on the Conservative Commission during the 1875–1876 recess.
Under President José Joaquín Pérez, Blest Gana served as Minister of Justice, Worship and Public Instruction from 18 September 1866 to 30 April 1870. He returned to the same ministry under President Aníbal Pinto, serving from 5 August 1878 to 17 April 1879. As minister, he defended the contribution of the University of Chile to the advancement of science and literature while advocating greater autonomy for the institution.
In 1876, Blest Gana was elected senator for Ñuble for the 1876–1882 term. He served on the Permanent Commission on Constitution, Legislation and Justice and as a substitute member of the Permanent Commission on Education and Charity.
Blest Gana died in Santiago on 7 October 1880, before completing his senatorial term.
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External links BCN Profile