# James D. Theberge

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_D._Theberge
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_D._Theberge.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_D._Theberge
> Source revision: 1318501060
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

James D. Theberge in the [Oval Office](/source/Oval_Office) with [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan), 1982

**James Daniel Theberge** (December 28, 1930 – January 20, 1988)[1] was a [United States](/source/United_States) [ambassador](/source/Ambassador) to [Nicaragua](/source/Nicaragua) (1975–1977) and [Chile](/source/Chile) (1982–1985).[2]

## Early life and education

He was born in [Oceanside, New York](/source/Oceanside%2C_New_York), and received a B.A. from [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) in 1952,[3] an M.A. from [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University) in 1960, and did graduate work at [Heidelberg University](/source/Heidelberg_University). He later received an M.P.A. (public administration) from [Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University) in 1965.[4] He was a Littauer Fellow at [Harvard](/source/Harvard_University).[5]

## Career

Theberge served as an economic adviser for the United States Embassy in [Argentina](/source/Argentina) from 1961 to 1964. From 1966 to 1969 he served as senior economist for the [Inter-American Development Bank](/source/Inter-American_Development_Bank) in Washington. From 1970 to 1975 he was director of the Latin American and Hispanic Studies Center at [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University).[6] He also taught at [St Antony's College, Oxford](/source/St_Antony's_College%2C_Oxford) and [St Peter's College, Oxford](/source/St_Peter's_College%2C_Oxford) as well as universities in [Argentina](/source/Argentina), [Brazil](/source/Brazil), and [California](/source/California).[5]

In 1974 and 1975 he was the Latin America project director of the [Commission on Critical Choices for Americans](/source/Commission_on_Critical_Choices_for_Americans).[5] In 1975, he was appointed Ambassador to [Nicaragua](/source/Nicaragua) by President [Gerald Ford](/source/Gerald_Ford), serving two years. He then served as president of the Institute for Conflict and Policy Studies, a think tank based in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) from 1977 to 1979 and an adviser to Planning Research Corporation from 1979 to 1981 and adviser to the [United States Department of Defense](/source/United_States_Department_of_Defense) from 1981 to 1982. President [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan) appointed him Ambassador to [Chile](/source/Chile) in 1982.[4] He remained in this post for three years.[5]

In 1986, he was appointed to the United States International Narcotics Control Commission by [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan).[7] He was the Chairman of the National Council on Latin America and a senior counselor of the [Atlantic Council](/source/Atlantic_Council). From 1986 through his death in 1988 he was also a member of the Senior Review Panel of the CIA.[4]

He was the author of multiple books, including "Reflections of a Diplomat," published in 1985, "Soviet Presence in Latin America," "Latin America: Struggle for Progress," and "Spain in the '70s.[5]

## Personal life

Theberge died in 1988 after a heart attack on a visit to [Jamaica](/source/Jamaica).[6] He was survived by his wife, Giselle Fages Theberge, and three sons, James Christopher, John Paul, and Alexander Leonard, all of Washington.[5]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Theberge, James D"](https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/Cgh0aGViZXJnZRIFamFtZXM-/). *ANC Explorer*. Retrieved 2021-08-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["James D. Theberge; Former Ambassador, 56"](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/24/obituaries/james-d-theberge-former-ambassador-56.html). *The New York Times*. 1988-01-24. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2020-08-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Columbia College Today"](https://archive.org/details/ldpd_12981092_004). *Internet Archive*. January 1957. Retrieved 2020-08-08.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_4-2) ["Nomination of James Daniel Theberge To Be United States Ambassador to Chile | The American Presidency Project"](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/nomination-james-daniel-theberge-be-united-states-ambassador-chile). *www.presidency.ucsb.edu*. Retrieved 2020-08-08.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:2_5-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:2_5-5) ["JAMES THEBERGE, EX-ENVOY TO CHILE, NICARAGUA, DIES"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1988/01/23/james-theberge-ex-envoy-to-chile-nicaragua-dies/4e9346b6-3adf-4f85-ace3-f824956dce9d/). *The Washington Post*. January 23, 1988. Retrieved August 8, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) ["Collection: James Theberge Papers | Georgetown University Archival Resources"](https://findingaids.library.georgetown.edu/repositories/15/resources/10585). *findingaids.library.georgetown.edu*. Retrieved 2020-08-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Appointment of Three Members of the United States International Narcotics Control Commission | The American Presidency Project"](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/appointment-three-members-the-united-states-international-narcotics-control-commission). *www.presidency.ucsb.edu*. Retrieved 2020-08-08.

Diplomatic posts Preceded by Turner B. Shelton United States Ambassador to Nicaragua 1975–1977 Succeeded by Mauricio Solaún Preceded by George W. Landau United States Ambassador to Chile 1982–1985 Succeeded by Harry George Barnes, Jr.

v t e United States ambassadors to Chile Minister Plenipotentiary Allen Chargé d'Affaires Larned Hamm Pollard Pendleton Crump Barton Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary Peyton Starkweather Bigler Nelson Kilpatrick Root Logan Osborn Kilpatrick Logan Roberts Egan Porter Strobel Wilson Hicks Dawson Fletcher Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Fletcher Shea Collier Culbertson Sevier Philip Armour Bowers Beaulac Lyon Howe Woodward Cole Dungan Korry Davis Popper Landau Theberge Barnes Gillespie Kamman Guerra-Mondragón O'Leary Brownfield Kelly Simons Wolff Hammer Perez Meehan Judd

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States Czech Republic Netherlands Israel Other IdRef NARA SNAC Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James D. Theberge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_D._Theberge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_D._Theberge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.