 In 1867, Cifuentes helped form the "Sociedad de Amigos del País" (Society of Friends of the Country) and in 1883 he was one of the founders of the "Unión Católica de Chile" (Catholic Union of Chile).Cifuentes was elected to Parliament as a representative of Rancagua in 1867 and was reelected five times.In 1892, he was elected Senator of Llanquihue in 1892, Aconcagua in 1894, and then Santiago in 1904.