Rosas y el cónsul general inglés. Las condecoraciones

The importance of this book is that the author explains how Rosas, in an act of servility without precedent in the history of Argentina, protected the interests of England at the expense of his own country. Supported by reliable documents, José Raed, a distinguished Argentine historian, shows that on July 16, 1839, Sir Woodbine Parish, England’s consul general in Buenos Aires for seven years, received from Rosas official papers appointing him colonel of cavalry in the Argentine army, declaring him a citizen of the Argentine Republic, and granting him the privilege of using the coat of arms of the Republic. These decorations and honors were given to Parish because, according to Rosas, Parish had rendered to the Argentine Republic “important and distinguished services.” However, Raed proves beyond doubt that these services were in fact detrimental to the national interest of Argentina. For example, Parish suggested and encouraged the illegal occupation of the Falkland Islands by his government, knowing that they belonged to Argentina. He forced the Argentine government to pay England heavy compensations for unimportant matters. He openly interfered in the internal affairs of Argentina to bring about the election of Rosas, who later became the country’s dictator. These and other revelations by Raed are unquestionably of great importance to Argentina’s historical interpretation.