In Memoriam: Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
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The Inter-American Dialogue mourns the loss of Dialogue Member Javiér Pérez de Cuéllar, who passed away at the age of 100 on March 4, 2020 at his home in Peru. He served as Co-Chair for the Sol M. Linowitz Forum Plenary Session and played a significant role in promoting the mission of the Dialogue.
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was the fifth secretary-general of the United Nations, serving for two terms from 1982 to 1991. As secretary-general, he brokered the historic ceasefire between Iran and Iraq in 1988 and the Salvadoran Peace Accord between the government and leftist opposition in 1992. A career diplomat, Pérez de Cuéllar held numerous positions within Peru’s ministry of foreign affairs, including ambassador to Switzerland, the Soviet Union, Poland, and Venezuela and permanent representative to the United Nations. He was also a presidential candidate in 1995 against authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori. In the course of his career, Pérez de Cuéllar was decorated by some 25 countries.