Juan Díaz de Solís, (Lebrija, Seville, 1470 - Rio de la Plata, 1516), Spanish navigator and explorer.

He was navigator on expeditions to the Yucatan in 1506 and Brazil in 1508 with Vicente Yáñez Pinzón. He becoming pilot-major in 1512 following the death of Amerigo Vespucci. Two years after appointment to this office, Díaz de Solís prepared an expedition to explore the southern part of the new continent. His three ships and with a crew of 70 men sailed from Sanlucar de Barrameda on October 8, 1515. He followed the eastern coast as far as the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. He reached and named the Rio de la Plata in February 1516 and sailed up river to the confluence of the Uruguay River and Paraná Rivers with two officers and seven men.

The little party had not proceeded far when they were ambushed and was killed by native Charrua indians. Díaz de Solís and most of his folIowers were killed, and the expedition ended. His brother-in-law, Francisco de Torres , took charge of the ships and returned to Spain.

See also

• List of explorers
• Explorations