Dante Caputo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dante Caputo
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 10 December 1983 – 26 May 1989 |
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| President | Raúl Alfonsín |
| Preceded by | Juan Ramón Aguirre Lanari |
| Succeeded by | Susana Ruiz Cerutti |
| President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
| In office 1988–1989 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Florin |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Nanven Garba |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 November 1943 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 20 June 2018 (aged 74) Buenos Aires, Argentina |
Dante Caputo was an important Argentine academic, diplomat, and politician. He was born on November 25, 1943, and passed away on June 20, 2018. He served as Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Raúl Alfonsín. This job is like being the country's top diplomat, handling relationships with other nations.
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Dante Caputo's Early Life and Education
Dante Mario Antonio Caputo was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He loved learning and studied political science at the Universidad del Salvador. He also earned a special graduate degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the United States. Later, he received a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Paris in France.
Between 1968 and 1972, he worked at the Organization of American States. This organization helps countries in North and South America work together. In 1973, he became a researcher at the Torcuato di Tella Institute. For six years, he led a research center there. Caputo also taught at many universities, including the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Paris.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (1983-1989)
During the time Raúl Alfonsín was President of Argentina (1983–1989), Dante Caputo served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was the only minister who stayed in his role for most of President Alfonsín's term.
In this important job, he achieved several key things:
- He signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina. This agreement finally ended a long-standing border dispute with Chile over the Beagle Channel.
- He helped create the Contadora support group, which later led to the Rio Group. These groups helped Latin American countries work together to keep peace and democracy in the region.
- He was a leader of the Cartagena Group. This group worked to help countries deal with their large foreign debt by talking to the countries they owed money to.
- During his time, agreements were made with Uruguay and Brazil. These agreements were the start of Mercosur, a major trade group in South America.
- In 1988, he was chosen to lead the 43rd meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. This is a big honor, as he oversaw discussions among many countries.
Political Career and Public Service
After his time as Foreign Minister, Caputo continued his public service. He was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, which is like being a member of parliament. There, he served as the vice-president of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
In 1992, he worked as a special envoy for the Organization of American States and the United Nations in Haiti. A special envoy is someone sent to represent their country or an organization on a specific mission. In 1993, he became the United Nations Secretary-General's representative to Haiti. He helped negotiate an agreement to bring democracy back to the island.
Caputo was a member of the Radical Civic Union (UCR) political party. Later, he joined a different party called New Space (Nuevo Espacio). He also served as Vice President of the Frepaso coalition from 1996 to 2000. In 1997, he was elected as a deputy again.
In 2000, Caputo joined the government of President Fernando de la Rúa. He became the Secretary of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation. He worked in this role until February 2001.
From 2001 to 2004, he directed a project for the United Nations Development Programme. This project focused on helping democratic development in Latin America. He was also a member of the Council of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights of Argentina. Later, he served as the Secretary for Political Affairs of the Organization of American States.
See also
In Spanish: Dante Caputo para niños
