Embassy of the Argentine Republic
Diplomatic history and full roster
Embassy of the Argentine Republic
1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Limestone, slate and an angled corner entrance give the former Huff house its French character. Argentina bought the furnished house in February 1913. The curved Oval Hall extends behind the main block, beside an open entrance court.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | c. 1907 | verified Commissioned in 1906; construction began in 1907. The embassy describes the house as six years old at the 1913 purchase. Completion day is unverified. |
| Acquired by Argentina | 20 February 1913 | verified Purchase from Henrietta Huff included furniture and rear stables. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified |
| Architect | Horace Trumbauer; Julian Abele | verified |
| Rooms | ≈60 rooms (est.) | estimated; About 27,000 sq ft gross × 65% usable room area ÷ 300 sq ft average per enclosed room ≈59, rounded to 60. Larger reception halls offset smaller offices and service rooms; plausible range 45–70. Estimated enclosed rooms, including bathrooms, kitchens and service rooms; excludes corridors, stairs and closets. Counts enclosed rooms of all functions. |
| Floor area | ≈27,000 sq ft | estimated; Modeled main footprint ≈581 m² × three full levels, plus ≈366 m² within the mansard, ≈310 m² across the lower rear hall and its service level after allowing for overlap, and ≈64 m² across the narrow return. Total ≈2,480 m², rounded to 27,000 sq ft. No additional full-footprint basement is assumed. Approximate gross floor area, rounded from footprint and floor-count assumptions; allow ±20%. |
| Site area | 9,080 sq ft | verified DC parcel 0134 0145; excludes adjoining properties and parking. |
| 2026 Value | $20,357,320 | verified CY1YEAR 2026, ASSESSMENT field for parcel 0134 0145. Tax assessment. |
Argentinian Ambassador’s Residence
1815 Q Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
The official residence is a separate, deep-plan house west of the chancery. Restoration tenders retain that designation; they do not establish that the ambassador currently lives here.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1906 (survey report) | verified The 2025 tender’s building survey gives 1906; original completion permit not independently located. |
| Acquired by Argentina | Not verified | unresolved Present ownership verified; original acquisition instrument not located. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified |
| Architect | Not verified | unresolved Survey and tender do not establish original architect. |
| Rooms | ≈40 rooms (est.) | estimated; Approximately 36 distinct enclosed spaces can be identified in the 2025 room-by-room survey after excluding circulation spaces, plus an allowance for unsampled service rooms. Rounded estimate 40; plausible range 35–45. Survey room IDs extend to 59 because halls and other circulation spaces are also numbered. Estimated enclosed rooms, including bathrooms, kitchens and service rooms; excludes corridors, stairs and closets. Counts enclosed rooms of all functions. |
| Floor area | ≈18,000 sq ft | estimated; Modeled stepped footprint ≈380 m² × three full levels, plus ≈310 m² basement and ≈240 m² within the mansard, totals ≈1,690 m². Rounded to 18,000 sq ft; includes basement and allows reduced attic floor area. Approximate gross floor area, rounded from footprint and floor-count assumptions; allow ±20%. Includes the basement. |
| Site area | 6,188 sq ft | verified DC parcel 0134 0831. |
| 2026 Value | $7,808,450 | verified CY1YEAR 2026 ASSESSMENT, parcel 0134 0831. |
| Diplomatic use | 1973 | documented-by; The November 1973 State diplomatic list places Ambassador Alejandro Orfila at 1815 Q Street. A March 15, 1985 State visit program independently identifies the same address as ambassador residence. Use by 1973 is proven; first occupation is earlier or equal. 1973 list PDF p.9, printed p.11; March 1985 press release PDF p.70, printed program p.4. |
Sarmiento Building, Consulate
1811 Q Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Embassy tenders identify this building as the consulate and Sarmiento Building. It is immediately west of the chancery.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1915 | estimated; DC CAMA AYB (average year built) for SSL 0134 0153: 1915. Used as a qualified construction estimate; EYB/effective age is not used. |
| Acquired by Argentina | Not verified | unresolved Original acquisition instrument not established. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified |
| Architect | Not verified | unresolved Original architect not established. |
| Rooms | ≈25 rooms (est.) | estimated; About 9,000 sq ft gross × 65% usable room area ÷ 235 sq ft average per enclosed room ≈25. Plausible range 20–30, allowing for offices, waiting/meeting rooms and service rooms. Estimated enclosed rooms, including bathrooms, kitchens and service rooms; excludes corridors, stairs and closets. Counts enclosed rooms of all functions. |
| Floor area | ≈9,000 sq ft | estimated; Main footprint about 8 × 25.5 m = 204 m²; three full levels (612 m²), about 150 m² usable mansard floor and about 90 m² across the rear service extension total about 850 m², or 9,150 sq ft. Rounded to 9,000 sq ft; basement not included. Approximate gross floor area, rounded from footprint and floor-count assumptions; allow ±20%. |
| Site area | 3,250 sq ft | verified DC parcel 0134 0153. |
| 2026 Value | $2,705,890 | verified 2026 ASSESSMENT, parcel 0134 0153. |
| Diplomatic use | 2000 | documented-by; State Department October 2000 Argentina background notes and Summer 2000 diplomatic list identify 1811 Q Street as Argentine consular premises. Record use by 2000, not a precise commencement date. October 2000 background note consular contact section; Summer 2000 Argentina ancillary offices. |
Permanent Mission to the OAS
1816 Corcoran Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Argentina’s mission to the Organization of American States occupies a separate building on Corcoran Street. Its multilateral role is distinct from the bilateral embassy.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1910 | estimated; DC CAMA AYB (average year built) for SSL 0134 0142: 1910. Used as a qualified construction estimate; EYB/effective age is not used. |
| Acquired by Argentina | Not verified | unresolved Original acquisition instrument not established. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified |
| Architect | Not verified | unresolved Original architect not established. |
| Rooms | 30 | estimated; Low-confidence estimate for the OAS mission office building, allowing for offices, meeting space, and support rooms. 10,080 sq ft × 0.62 room-floor fraction ÷ 200 sq ft average counted room = about 30 rooms; sensitivity range 20–50. This is not a surveyed inventory. |
| Floor area | 10,080 sq ft | verified; DC CAMA commercial record for SSL 0134 0142, building 1, section 1: LIVING_GBA 10080 sq ft. This preserves the assessor living gross building area definition. |
| Site area | 6,481 sq ft | verified; DC active parcel 0134 0142, LANDAREA 6,481 sq ft; the separately recorded Corcoran Street parking parcel is excluded. |
| 2026 Value | $4,209,220 | verified; 2026 ASSESSMENT for main OAS mission parcel 0134 0142; the separately recorded parking parcel is excluded. |
| Diplomatic use | 1973 | documented-by; The November 1973 State diplomatic list identifies Argentina Naval Attaché Office at 1816 Corcoran Street. It is now the OAS mission. The documented-by 1973 date refers to Argentine diplomatic use at the property, not commencement of OAS use. PDF p.10, printed p.13. |
R Street Records Annex
2136 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
A separate Argentine-owned annex. The embassy’s 2026 procurement notices still include maintenance at this address; it is not the official residence or the Sarmiento Building.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1911 | estimated; DC CAMA AYB (average year built) for SSL 2513 0007: 1911. Used as a qualified construction estimate; EYB/effective age is not used. |
| Acquired by Argentina | Not verified | unresolved Original acquisition instrument not established. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified |
| Architect | Not verified | unresolved Original architect not established. |
| Rooms | 24 | verified; DC residential CAMA records 24 rooms for parcel 2513 0007. Bedrooms and bathrooms have separate fields; this is the assessor room count, not a current architectural room schedule. |
| Floor area | 9,802 sq ft | reported; Reported building area: 7,560 sq ft living area + 2,242 sq ft unfinished basement = 9,802 sq ft. Redfin attributes these fields to county records updated 24 September 2026. Secondary republication of public assessor data. |
| Site area | 2,500 sq ft | reported; Reported land area for the exact-address parcel 2513/0007. Secondary republication of public assessor data. |
| 2026 Value | $3,414,040 | reported; Reported 2026 tax assessment: $898,700 land + $2,515,340 improvements = $3,414,040. Assessment from the property’s tax history. Direct assessor confirmation remains pending. Secondary republication of public assessor data. |
| Diplomatic use | 1973 | documented-by; The November 1973 State list locates Argentina Military Attaché Office at 2136 R Street. The 2024 federal appeals opinion says the building has been uninhabited since 1997 and is used for diplomatic file storage; current 2026 embassy maintenance tenders confirm continued control. Use by 1973 is proven, not uninterrupted residential occupation. 1973 list PDF p.10, printed p.13; Bainbridge opinion, factual background. |
Historic Moments
Recognition and the first diplomatic exchange
1823-01-27
The United States recognizes the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in January 1823. Diplomatic relations follow on 27 December, when U.S. envoy Caesar Augustus Rodney presents his credentials.
Education across the Americas
1865–1868
During his U.S. mission, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento renews his collaboration with Mary Peabody Mann. Their correspondence helps bring U.S. teachers to Argentina and links diplomacy with educational reform.
Argentina helps mediate a crisis
1914
Argentina, Brazil, and Chile offer mediation during the U.S.–Mexican crisis. Argentine minister Rómulo S. Naón participates in the Niagara Falls conferences; the surviving protocols record their negotiations.
A wartime diplomatic interruption
1944–1945
The United States withdraws Ambassador Norman Armour in June 1944 amid disputes with Argentina’s military government. Normal diplomatic relations resume on 9 April 1945. This interruption is distinct from the 1823 establishment of relations.
Human rights become a central dispute
1977–1978
The Carter administration presses Argentina’s military government over disappearances, torture, and detention. Congress enacts restrictions on military assistance in 1977 that take effect in October 1978; U.S. officials disagree over tactics and the balance with other interests.
Opening the archives
2016–2019
A U.S. declassification project delivers more than 43,000 pages from 16 agencies to Argentina. The final 2019 transfer helps families and investigators examine human rights abuses and the history of U.S. policy.
Chiefs of Mission
| Diplomat | Office | Recorded service | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos María de Alvear | Minister | 1838–1852 | Former |
| Carlos María de Alvear | Minister | 1824 | Former |
| Domingo Faustino Sarmiento | Minister | 1865–1868 | Former |
| Manuel Rafael García Aguirre | Minister | 1868–1879 (documented service) | Former |
| Bartolomé Mitre y Vedia | Chargé d’affaires | 1867 (documented) | Former |
| Luis Lorenzo Domínguez | Minister | 1881–1884 | Former |
| Vicente G. Quesada | Minister | 1885–1890 | Former |
| Estanislao Zeballos | Minister | 1893–1895 | Former |
| Vicente J. Domínguez | Chargé d’affaires | 1895 (documented) | Former |
| Martín García Mérou | Minister | 1896–1899 | Former |
| Antonio del Viso | Chargé d’affaires | 1899 (documented) | Former |
| Eduardo Wilde | Minister | 1900–1901 | Former |
| Antonio del Viso | Chargé d’affaires | 1901 (documented) | Former |
| Martín García Mérou | Minister | 1901–1905 | Former |
| Epifanio Portela | Minister | 1905–1910 | Former |
| Rómulo Sebastián Naón | Ambassador | 1911–1919 | Former |
| Tomás Le Breton | Ambassador | 1919–1922 | Former |
| Felipe Aja Espil | Chargé d’affaires | 1922 (documented) | Former |
| Honorio Pueyrredón | Ambassador | 1924–1928 | Former |
| Manuel Malbrán | Ambassador | 1928 | Former |
| Felipe Aja Espil | Ambassador | 1931–1943 | Former |
| Adrián César Escobar | Ambassador | 1944 | Former |
| Oscar Ivanissevich | Ambassador | 1946–1948 | Former |
| Martín Luis Drago | Chargé d’affaires | 1948 (documented) | Former |
| Jerónimo Remorino | Ambassador | 1948–1951 | Former |
| Hipólito Jesús Paz | Ambassador | 1951–1955 | Former |
| Adolfo Ángel Vicchi | Ambassador | 1955–1957 | Former |
| Mauricio Yadarola | Ambassador | 1957–1958 | Former |
| César Barros Hurtado | Ambassador | 1958–1959 | Former |
| Emilio Donato del Carril | Ambassador | 1959–1962 | Former |
| Roberto Alemann | Ambassador | 1962–1964 | Former |
| Norberto Miguel Barrenechea | Ambassador | 1964–1966 | Former |
| Álvaro Alsogaray | Ambassador | 1966–1968 | Former |
| Eduardo A. Roca | Ambassador | 1968–1970 | Former |
| Pedro Eduardo Real | Ambassador | 1970–1971 | Former |
| Carlos Manuel Muñiz | Ambassador | 1971–1973 | Former |
| Alejandro José Luis Orfila | Ambassador | 1973–1975 | Former |
| Rafael Maximiano Vázquez | Ambassador | 1975–1976 | Former |
| Arnaldo T. Musich | Ambassador | 1976 | Former |
| Jorge Antonio Aja Espil | Ambassador | 1977–1981 | Former |
| Esteban Arpad Takacs | Ambassador | 1981–1982 | Former |
| Lucio García del Solar | Ambassador | 1982–1986 | Former |
| Enrique Candioti | Ambassador | 1986–1989 | Former |
| Guido Di Tella | Ambassador | 1989–1991 | Former |
| Carlos Ortiz de Rozas | Ambassador | 1991–1993 | Former |
| Raúl Granillo Ocampo | Ambassador | 1993–1997 | Former |
| Diego Ramiro Guelar | Ambassador | 1997–1999 | Former |
| Guillermo Enrique González | Ambassador | 2000–2002 | Former |
| Diego Ramiro Guelar | Ambassador | 2002–2003 | Former |
| Eduardo Amadeo | Ambassador | 2003 | Former |
| José Octavio Bordón | Ambassador | 2003–2008 | Former |
| Héctor Timerman | Ambassador | 2008–2010 | Former |
| Alfredo Chiaradía | Ambassador | 2010–2011 | Former |
| Jorge Argüello | Ambassador | 2012 | Former |
| Cecilia Nahón | Ambassador | 2013–2015 | Former |
| Martín Lousteau | Ambassador | 2016–2017 | Former |
| Fernando Oris de Roa | Ambassador | 2018–2019 | Former |
| Jorge Argüello | Ambassador | 2020–2023 | Former |
| Gerardo Werthein | Ambassador | 2024 | Former |
| Alejandro “Alec” Oxenford | Ambassador | 2025–present | Current |
| Conrad Traverso | Chargé d’affaires | 1928 (documented) | Former |
| Felipe Aja Espil | Chargé d’affaires | 1928 (documented) | Former |
| Julián Enciso | Chargé d’affaires | 1928 (documented) | Former |
| Julián Enciso | Chargé d’affaires | 1928–1930 | Former |
| Rodolfo García Arias | Chargé d’affaires | 1945 (documented) | Former |
| Oscar Ibarra García | Ambassador | 1945 (documented) | Former |
| Luis S. Luti | Chargé d’affaires | 1945 (documented) | Former |
| Robert H. Tiscornia | Chargé d’affaires | 1971 (documented) | Former |
| Diego Felipe Medus | Chargé d’affaires | 1973 (documented) | Former |
| Gastón de Prat Gay | Chargé d’affaires | 1976 (documented) | Former |
| Roberto E. Dalton | Chargé d’affaires | 1981 (documented) | Former |
| Bartolomé Mitre y Vedia | Chargé d’affaires | 1868 (documented) | Former |
| Manuel Malbrán | Ambassador | 1930–1931 | Former |