Juan Luis López Maltés, the oldest living man in Chile, passed away in Viña del Mar, Valparaíso Region, on 22 October, at the age of 109 years, 292 days.
Juan Luis López Maltés was born in Iquique, Tarapacá Region, Chile, on 3 January 1917. He was the youngest child of three children born to José Tomás López Olmos, a veteran of the War of the Pacific, and Teresa Maltés Valdés.
At the age of 18, he graduated from the Commercial Institute of Iquique with a degree in accounting. With his degree, he obtained an administrative position at the Santa Laura Nitrate Works. He then started working as an Accountant-Manager of the Public Employees’ Consumer Cooperative. Applying the knowledge he had gained from the Institute and the nitrate works, he undertook a restructuring and implementation program, transforming it into one of the most prestigious in the city, boasting over 400 members, a significant increase from the 30 who joined when he took over.
In 1938, at the age of 21, and after two years of significant progress with the Cooperative, he was presented with an opportunity and joined the General Treasury of the Republic through a public competition. Simultaneously, he continued his management role at the Cooperative, eventually becoming unable to continue due to his responsibilities at the Treasury.
On 15 June 1946, he married Ester Toledo Carrizo, and they had five children: Luis Tomás, Verónica Ester, María Cristina, Maggie Priscila, and Patricia. In 1948, also through a competitive public examination, he joined the Internal Revenue Service as a Revenue Accountant in Santiago. As he rose through the ranks, he began a journey through the cities of Antofagasta, Ovalle, La Serena, and again Santiago, holding various leadership positions. He finally settled in Viña del Mar in 1967, making significant moves in search of comfort and a better quality of life. In Viña del Mar, he headed the Audit Department. Concurrently with his duties, between 1969 and 1976, he taught tax law at the Viña del Mar Commercial Institute.
In 1976, after 46 years of service, he retired from the Internal Revenue Service. However, with all his wealth of knowledge and tax experience, he dedicated himself to private activity with his own accounting firm until the age of 99, finally retiring completely in 2016.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Juan Luis López Maltés during this difficult time.
