José C. Paz
José Clemente Paz | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 10 March 1912 (aged 69) Monaco |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, diplomat, journalist |
| Known for | Founder of La Prensa newspaper |
José Clemente Paz (2 October 1842 – 10 March 1912) was a prominent Argentine figure known for his roles as a politician, diplomat, and journalist. He is most notably recognized for founding the newspaper La Prensa.
Life
Paz was born in Buenos Aires and initially received his education there before moving to Rosario due to internal civil unrest. At the age of 16, during a naval confrontation near Rosario, he narrowly avoided injury by swimming to vessels belonging to Buenos Aires. He subsequently joined the Buenos Aires military forces under the command of Bartolomé Mitre and earned distinction at the Battle of Pavón in 1860. Following the conflict, he embarked on a political career aligned with Adolfo Alsina while also studying law.
In 1865, amid the War of the Triple Alliance, Paz established the Society for the Protection of Invalids, forming a nursing unit dedicated to caring for wounded soldiers arriving in Buenos Aires. To support this initiative financially, he launched the publication El inválido argentino. On 18 October 1869, he founded La Prensa, which quickly rose to prominence as a leading newspaper.
During the yellow fever outbreak in 1871, Paz coordinated relief efforts and personally attended to his ailing chief reporter. When the revolution of 1874 occurred, he supported Mitre and was consequently exiled to Montevideo, where he completed his legal education. Upon returning to Argentina, he served as a national deputy beginning in 1879 but resigned later to assume diplomatic posts in Madrid (1883–85) and Paris (1885–93).
Later in life, Paz took charge of managing La Prensa and moved to Monte Carlo in 1900. He commissioned French architect Louis Sortais to design the Paz Palace located in Buenos Aires’ Retiro neighborhood. Construction started in 1902 and finished after his death in 1914; the palace covers more than 6,000 m² along Plaza San Martín and stands as Argentina’s largest private residence. Paz passed away in Monaco in 1912 and was buried in an elaborate mausoleum at La Recoleta Cemetery, which features sculpture by Jules-Felix Coutan.
His legacy was honored with an Argentine postage stamp issued in his memory.