Juan José Paso

Juan José Esteban Paso, (January 2, 1758, Buenos Aires – September 10, 1833) was an Argentine politician who participated in the events that started the Argentine War of Independence known as May Revolution of 1810.

Biography

Early life

Juan José Paso is the son of Domingo de Passo. Domingo left Spain and moved to Buenos Aires in 1750. He worked as a baker; Buenos Aires had a scarce production of bread at the time. Domingo got married with María Manuela Fernández Escandón on March 8, 1755. Domingo became a vecino after his marriage. Their son Juan José Esteban Paso was born on January 2, 1758, and baptized five days later. The place of Paso's initial education is unknown, but it was not the Real Colegio San Carlos, as he is not among its recorded list of students.

Paso studied at the University of Córdoba and graduated in Theology in 1779. Back in Buenos Aires, he was named professor of Philosophy at the Colegio Real de San Carlos (Royal School of San Carlos). In 1783 he moved to the Upper Peru and studied law in the University of Chuquisaca; only to return to Buenos Aires as a lawyer in 1803. After the British invasions of the Río de la Plata he pursued a political career as a revolutionary leader moved by the new national identity that was growing among the 'criollos'.