Alfonso Garcia Robles (20 March 1911 – 2 September 1991) was a Mexican diplomat and lawyer. He is best known for his work in negotiating the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which established Latin America and the Caribbean as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
His work on disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982.
Life and Career
He was born on 20 March 1911, in Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico. He studied law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, where he earned his law degree in 1935.
He also pursued graduate studies in international law at the University of Paris and at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Additionally, he studied at Harvard Law School in the United States. His extensive education and expertise in law and international relations helped to shape his career as a diplomat and advocate for peace and disarmament.
He held various positions in the Mexican government and international organizations. He served as Mexico’s ambassador to Brazil and Uruguay before being appointed as Mexico’s representative to the United Nations in 1971.
As a representative to the UN, García Robles was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1967, which prohibited the development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. The treaty was a significant milestone in the global effort to prevent nuclear proliferation and disarmament.
He continued to work on disarmament issues throughout his career, serving as Mexico’s ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and as the chair of the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 1985 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons.
In addition to his work on disarmament, García Robles was a proponent of social justice and economic development. He served as the head of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and as Mexico’s ambassador to the United States.
He also taught at various universities in Mexico and the United States. Overall, García Robles made significant contributions to the promotion of peace, disarmament, and international cooperation during his career as a diplomat and advocate for global security.
He died on 2 September 1991, in Mexico City, Mexico.
Award and Legacy
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982 for his efforts to promote the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which established Latin America and the Caribbean as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
Overall, Alfonso García Robles was a visionary diplomat and advocate for peace, disarmament, and international cooperation. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world to work towards a more just and peaceful world.