Eduardo A. Roca facts for kids
Eduardo Alejandro Roca (born December 15, 1921 – died May 15, 2019) was an important person from Argentina. He was a lawyer, a teacher, and a diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other countries. Roca was Argentina's Ambassador to the United States from 1968 to 1970. He also represented Argentina at the United Nations during the 1982 Falklands War.
Quick facts for kids
Eduardo A. Roca
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Eduardo A. Roca (ca 1982)
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| Born | 15 December 1921 |
| Died | 15 May 2019 (aged 97) Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Citizenship | Argentina |
Contents
Early Life and Family
Eduardo Alejandro Roca was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 15, 1921. His parents were Marco Roca and Maria Teresa Hunter. He was the grand-nephew of Julio Argentino Roca. Julio Argentino Roca was the eighth President of Argentina.
Eduardo Roca's Career
In 1944, Eduardo Roca became a lawyer. He worked at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).
He held several important public jobs. From 1962 to 1963, he was the Undersecretary of Justice for the Nation. He also served as a Director of the Central Bank of Argentina from 1970 to 1971.
Diplomat and Ambassador
In 1966, Roca was chosen to be Argentina's ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS). The OAS is a group of countries in North and South America that work together.
In 1968, he became the Ambassador to the United States. This meant he represented Argentina in the U.S. and helped keep good relations between the two countries.
Roca was also a professor at the Argentine Catholic University. He helped start the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI).
Working at the United Nations
In 1982, Eduardo Roca became Argentina's permanent representative to the United Nations. The United Nations is an international organization that tries to keep peace around the world. He was appointed by his friend, Foreign Minister Nicanor Costa Méndez. Roca started this job just before the Falklands War began.
On April 1, 1982, the UN Security Council met. They were worried about Argentina's military actions in the Falkland Islands. Roca spoke there, saying that Britain had acted aggressively. He talked about an incident that happened in South Georgia the month before. He also said that Argentina had a right to the islands and that Britain was stopping a peaceful solution.
The next day, Argentina took control of the Falkland Islands. Roca spoke to the Security Council again. He said that the United Kingdom was avoiding talks about who owned the islands. He also stated that Argentina was taking back its national sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands. He called this a "recovery" and a "legitimate defense."
As the war continued, the UN Secretary-General, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, tried to help. He met with Roca and the British Ambassador to find a solution. On May 5, 1982, Roca criticized the United States for supporting the United Kingdom. He accepted the UN's offer to mediate. He also got support for Argentina's claim from the Non-Aligned Movement.
Personal Life
Eduardo Roca married Magdalena Figueroa in 1947. They had six children together, three sons and three daughters.
Eduardo Roca passed away in Buenos Aires on May 15, 2019. He was 97 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Eduardo A. Roca para niños
