Luis María Drago facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis María Drago
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 11 August 1902 – 18 July 1903 |
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| President | Julio Argentino Roca |
| Preceded by | Joaquín V. González |
| Succeeded by | Joaquín V. González |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 May 1859 Mercedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 9 June 1921 (aged 62) Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Signature |  |
Luis María Drago (May 6, 1859 - June 9, 1921) was an important Argentine politician. He is best known for creating the Drago Doctrine. This rule helped protect countries from being forced to pay their debts.
Drago was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family was well-known in the country. He started his career working for newspapers. Later, he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1902. This job meant he was in charge of Argentina's relationships with other countries.
Contents
The Drago Doctrine: What It Means
The Drago Doctrine is a rule in international law. It says that no country should use military force to collect debts from another country. This means a powerful country cannot send its army to make a weaker country pay back money it owes.
Why the Doctrine Was Needed
In 1902, a problem happened with Venezuela. Countries like the UK, Germany, and Italy wanted Venezuela to pay back money it owed them. These countries were thinking about using their navies to make Venezuela pay.
Luis María Drago believed this was wrong. He thought using force against a country for its debts was unfair. It could also hurt the country's independence.
How the Doctrine Was Created
Drago wrote a letter to the Argentine minister in Washington. In this letter, he explained his idea. He said that public debt should not lead to military action. This idea became known as the Drago Doctrine.
The doctrine was based on a principle called the Calvo Doctrine. This older idea said that foreign countries should not interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American nations. Drago's doctrine focused specifically on debt collection.
Impact of the Drago Doctrine
The Drago Doctrine became very important in Latin America. Many countries supported it. They wanted to protect their independence from powerful nations.
The doctrine helped shape international law. It encouraged peaceful ways to solve money problems between countries. It also led to the Porter Convention in 1907. This agreement said that force should not be used to collect debts unless a country refused to go to arbitration. Arbitration is when a neutral third party helps solve a dispute.
Later Life and Legacy
Luis María Drago continued to be an important figure. He worked to promote peace and fairness in international relations. His ideas helped protect the rights of smaller nations. He passed away in 1921 in Buenos Aires. His legacy lives on through the Drago Doctrine. It remains a key part of discussions about international debt and sovereignty.
See also
- In Spanish: Luis María Drago para niños
