Maurício Nabuco

Maurício Nabuco was the son of abolitionist and diplomat Joaquim Nabuco. Born in London in 1891, he began law studies in Bonn but left after his father’s death. He entered Itamaraty in 1913, worked with the Brazilian delegation at the Versailles peace conference, and later reorganized ministry records and administration. His 1935 proposals for a career based civil service helped shape the administrative reform enacted the following year, despite opposition to the original plan. ¹

He served as ambassador in Chile and at the Vatican and as secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry before taking charge in Washington in 1948. Economic development and Brazil’s expectations of its American alliance were central to his embassy work. In October 1950 he personally asked President Harry Truman to address three grievances: a Senate report attacking coffee producing countries, delays in transferring two cruisers already paid for by Brazil, and obstacles to development loans. Truman promised attention to the requests. ^{1, 2}

Nabuco retired in 1952 and later worked in private business. He wrote on diplomatic practice, archives, and his own experiences, including Algumas reflexões sobre diplomacia and Reminiscências sérias e frívolas. He died in 1979. His unpublished diaries, letters, and photographs became the basis of Rogério de Souza Farias’s 2025 study, which examines both his observations of Brazilian politics and his efforts to reform institutions. ^{1, 3}