Juan Bautista Alberdi
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Juan Bautista Alberdi (29 August 1810 - 19 June 1884) was a political theorist and diplomat, born in San Miguel de Tucumán, province of Tucumán, Argentina. Although he lived most of his life in exile in Montevideo and Chile, he was one of the most influential Argentine liberals of his age.
Alberdi studied law in Buenos Aires. He fled from Argentina in fear of his powerful opponent, the caudillo Juan Manuel de Rosas. This did not prevent him from writing many books opposing Rosas. After Rosas was overthrown in 1852, Alberdi decided not to return to Argentina but instead remain in Chile.
When it was decided to write a constitution for Argentina, Alberdi sent copies of a paper he had written, entitled "Bases and Points of Departure for the Political Organization of the Argentine Republic", to the Constitutional Assembly delegates. Many of the suggestions contained in it were incorporated into the Argentine Constitution of 1853. He later became an Argentine diplomat in Europe.
Alberdi died at age 73 in Paris, France. His body was returned to Argentina and was interred in La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.
