Juan Díaz de Solís

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Juan Díaz de Solís, (1470 – January 20, 1516), was a Spanish navigator and explorer.

Díaz de Solís was born in Lebrija, Seville. He served as navigator on expeditions to the Yucatan in 1506 and Brazil in 1508 with Vicente Yáñez Pinzón. He became a pilot-major in 1512 following the death of Amerigo Vespucci. Two years after appointment to this office, Díaz de Solís prepared an expedition to explore the southern part of the new continent. His three ships and crew of 70 men sailed from Sanlucar de Barrameda on October 8, 1515. He followed the eastern coast as far as the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. He reached and named the Rio de la Plata in 1516, sailing up river to the confluence of the Uruguay River and Paraná River with two officers and seven men.

The little party had not proceeded far when they were attacked by local Charrua or Guarani. Surviving crew members reported Díaz de Solís and most of the other men were killed and cannibalized, thus putting the expedition to an end. Some sources believe that Díaz de Solís was killed in a mutiny and the story about being killed and cannibalized was forged by his crew. His brother-in-law, Francisco de Torres, took charge of the ships and returned to Spain.