THE SCHOOL OF SALAMANCA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE RIGHT TO PEACE

Abstract

This article explores how the School of Salamanca’s principles on justice, sovereignty, and international law influenced the formation of Latin American legal traditions and diplomatic efforts, including the Congress of Panama (1826), initiated by Simón Bolívar. The discussion highlights how the legacy of Salamanca and Vitoria contributed to the right to peace, shaping treaties such as the 1820 Treaty of Regularization of War and promoting Latin America’s participation in global diplomatic initiatives like the Berlin Conference (1884-1885) and the Versailles Conference (1919). By tracing the intellectual transition from Salamanca to the legal thought of independence, the article examines the evolution of Latin America’s engagement with international law, demonstrating how these principles were reinterpreted to justify self-determination, sovereignty, and regional diplomacy. The rupture with the Salamanca School was not absolute; rather, Latin American jurists adapted its core legal and ethical principles into a pragmatic legal system, integrating new secular and liberal influences.