Oscar Ibarra García

Oscar Ibarra García, born in Morón in 1899, studied law at the University of Buenos Aires and entered the foreign service in 1932. He helped organize the 1936 Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace in Buenos Aires, serving as vice-president of its organizing committee. His subsequent appointments included minister to Denmark and two periods as undersecretary of foreign relations. He returned to the undersecretariat during the military governments of 1943–45 before receiving the Washington embassy. ¹

Ibarra García presented his credentials to Harry Truman on 8 May 1945. He also joined Argentina’s delegation to the San Francisco conference that founded the United Nations. There he approached Chen Chieh, China’s ambassador to Mexico and a fellow delegate, about establishing diplomatic relations. His written proposal of 26 May received an affirmative reply two days later, followed by welcoming telegrams between the two foreign ministers. ^{1, 2}

His Washington appointment coincided with growing conflict between the Argentine government and Spruille Braden, the American ambassador in Buenos Aires. In an August telegram, Braden reported hearing that Ibarra García had described the State Department as divided over Braden’s conduct. Braden asked Washington to correct that impression because it weakened his position. ³

Recalled to Buenos Aires in September 1945, Ibarra García was appointed ambassador to Cuba the following month. That appointment was withdrawn in November at his own request, and he was placed on availability. He died in Buenos Aires in 1949. ¹