Nicanor Costa Méndez

Nicanor Costa Méndez (October 30, 1922 – August 3, 1992) was an Argentine diplomat.

Costa Méndez was born into a privileged background in Buenos Aires, in 1922. He attended the University of Buenos Aires, graduating with a Law Degree in 1943. He went on to receive his juris doctor and opened a law practice.

Costa Méndez served as the Argentine ambassador to Chile from 1962 to 1964, and chargé d'affaires and ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1965 to 1966. He was appointed Foreign Minister by President Juan Carlos Onganía in 1966 and served in that post until 1969. An avowed anti-Communist, Costa Méndez favored close ties with the United States. President Galtieri, a significant supporter of the Contras during the Nicaraguan Civil War, believed that support would be forthcoming from Reagan administration; when the United States and Western Europe sided with Britain during the conflict, however, Costa Méndez sought the support of the Communist bloc, flying to Cuba to attend a meeting of Non-aligned nations and to confer with President Fidel Castro.

Costa Méndez was portrayed by Vernon Dobtcheff in the 2002 BBC production of Ian Curteis's controversial The Falklands Play.