Karlos Saavedra Argentine statesman Nobel Peace Prize, 1936 Date of Birth: 01.11.1878 Country: Argentina

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Career
3. The Chaco War and the Anti-War Pact
4. The Nobel Peace Prize
5. Later Career and Legacy

Carlos Saavedra Lamas: Argentinian Statesman and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Early Life and Education

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1878, Carlos Saavedra Lamas was the son of Mariano Saavedra Sabaleta and Luisa Lamas. He received his early education privately before attending the Jesuit school and the Collège Lacordaire. In 1903, he graduated from the University of Buenos Aires.

After extensive travels and studies in Paris, Saavedra Lamas became a professor of law at the University of La Plata. He later taught at the University of Buenos Aires, where he introduced courses in sociology, political economy, and constitutional law at the law school. He also published several works on labor legislation, a subject of particular interest to him along with international law.

Political Career

Saavedra Lamas' political career began in 1906 when he was appointed director of the Public Credit Service. A year later, he became secretary of the municipality of Buenos Aires, and in 1908, he was elected to the national legislature for the first time. Appointed Minister of Justice and Public Instruction in 1915, Saavedra Lamas barely had time to take office. In the following years, he served as an unofficial advisor to the Legislature and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1927, Saavedra Lamas became a delegate to the International Congress of Jurists in Rio de Janeiro, and in 1928, he presided over the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

The Chaco War and the Anti-War Pact

In 1932, General Agustín P. Justo, who had become President of Argentina after two years of revolutionary rule, appointed Saavedra Lamas as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Shortly thereafter, Bolivia and Paraguay went to war over the Chaco, a territory that had been disputed since the end of Spanish rule in Bolivia in 1825.

Saavedra Lamas sought to mediate the conflict and enhance his country's influence on the international stage. He formulated the Declaration of August 3, 1932, calling on American nations not to recognize changes in boundaries achieved through military force. Saavedra Lamas also proposed a South American anti-war pact, which he believed could provide a solid mechanism for preventing war.

The Nobel Peace Prize

In 1936, Saavedra Lamas was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to mediate the Chaco War. He was the first Latin American recipient of the award, and the news was met with widespread acclaim throughout the continent.

Later Career and Legacy

Saavedra Lamas retired from government in 1938 and returned to his academic pursuits. From 1941 to 1943, he served as president of the University of Buenos Aires, and he remained a professor there until 1946.

Saavedra Lamas died in Buenos Aires in 1959 at the age of 80. He is remembered as a distinguished statesman and a leading figure in Latin American politics, whose efforts to promote peace and cooperation left a lasting legacy.