Didn’t Roberto Noble envision this quiet space as a writer’s retreat? Plazoleta Roberto Noble offers a serene pause in Palermo. It sits on Avenida Cerviño between República de la India and Ugarteche. This small plaza honors Roberto Jorge Noble Larrosa.
Noble was born in La Plata on September 9, 1902. He died in Villa del Totoral, Córdoba, on January 12, 1969. He was a journalist, politician and businessman. Most notably, he founded the Clarín newspaper.
Noble began his career fighting for university reform. This reform was sanctioned in 1918. He was a youth leader in the Socialist Party. Later, he joined the rebel movement. This movement became the Independent Socialist Party in 1927.
In 1930 Noble became a lawyer. He was elected as a deputy for the Capital Federal. But he ceased this role on September 6 due to a coup led by José Félix Uriburu. In the following year’s elections, his party joined the official alliance. It was called the Concordancia. This alliance included the National Democratic Party and the Antipersonalist Radical Civic Union.
Noble’s party came second in the Capital Federal district. They won 10 national deputies overall. Noble became one of the vice presidents of the Chamber. Manuel Fresco presided over this. One of his first projects was the Law of Justice of the Peace. It prevented abuses by magistrates. His party also promoted the Law of Intellectual and Artistic Property. It passed as Law 11,723. This promoted the copyright of writers, composers and musicians. Noble drafted the text.
This led to the creation of the National Commission of Culture. Noble presided over this. He also debated the Roca-Runciman Pact. Great Britain agreed to buy Argentine meat if its price was lower. Argentina agreed to tax exemptions for English products.
In 1936 Manuel Fresco became governor of Buenos Aires. Noble became Minister of Government. He resigned in 1939. He was accused of mismanaging public funds. He then dedicated himself to agriculture for 3 years. He acquired a 3,000-hectare field in Quiroga.
Early in his career Noble worked for La Nación. He co-founded Crítica Social. He later directed the newspaper Libertad. In 1945 he embarked on a life-changing project. He abandoned politics to create Clarín.
Clarín appeared on August 28, 1945. It had an initial print run of 60,000 copies. It quickly increased its circulation. Its motto was “An Argentine touch of attention to Argentine problems”. The newspaper had an innovative tabloid format.
In 1960 a set of editorials was grouped in the book “Argentina World Power”. This was followed by other works in 1964. Noble was the son of Pedro Jorge Noble and María Larrosa. His brother was Julio Argentino Noble Larrosa.
Noble married Marta María Guadalupe Zapata Timberlake in Mexico in 1958. They had a daughter named Guadalupe Georgette Noble. He later married Ernestina Laura Herrera in 1967. Noble died on January 12, 1969. His wife took control of Clarín.
Guadalupe Noble published a book about her father in 2010. It covered his life as a legislator and the founder of Clarín. The book includes testimonies and photographs. The Plazoleta Roberto Noble stands as a testament. It honors a man of vision and action. Take a moment here to reflect on his impact on Argentina.