The Pacts of May ended a costly 1890s arms race between Chile and Argentina and established their respective spheres of naval influence in the Pacific and Atlantic.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 28 May 1902
- Number of protocols
- 4
- Signing city
- Santiago de Chile
- Arms control distinction
- Considered the first arms control pact per Rizzo Romano
- Arbitration requested from
- Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Territorial disputes between Chile and Argentina during the 1890s led both nations to significantly increase their military budgets and engage in a naval arms race, raising the risk of armed conflict and straining bilateral relations.
On 28 May 1902 in Santiago, Chile and Argentina signed four protocols collectively known as the Pacts of May, addressing mutual non-intervention, arbitration procedures, naval arms limitation, and demarcation of an earlier British arbitration award.
The pacts halted the naval arms race by requiring both countries to sell off warships under construction and decommission some in service, and assigned Chile a sphere of influence in the Pacific and Argentina in the Atlantic, a division later contested during the Beagle Channel Arbitration.
Political Outcome
Chile and Argentina agreed to naval disarmament, mutual non-intervention, arbitration mechanisms, and divided their spheres of naval influence between the Pacific and Atlantic.
Arms race between Chile and Argentina with competing claims over Pacific and Atlantic zones
Chile assigned Pacific sphere of influence; Argentina assigned Atlantic and Río de la Plata sphere