He was born in Concepción on the son of Eulogio Altamirano Araceda and Antonia Adelina Talavera Appleby.

On September 5, 1924, and as a consequence of the episode known as the Ruido de sables, a group of young military officers, led by Colonel Marmaduque Grove and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, demanded of President Arturo Alessandri the dismissal of three of his ministers, including the minister of War; the enactment of a labor code, the passage of an income tax law, and the improvement of the military salaries.

On September 8, General Altamirano appeared in front of Congress to demand the passage of eight laws, including Alessandri's labor code and the income tax proposal.

At that point, Alessandri felt that he had become just a pawn of the military and on September 9, he resigned, and requested asylum at the US Embassy.

Congress refused to accept Alessandri's resignation, and instead granted him a six-month constitutional leave of absence.