José Miguel Barros Franco (San Fernando, August 7, 1924[1] — Santiago, February 2, 2020)[2] was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat, historian and academic.

[3] After the death of his father, he received a scholarship to the Barros Arana National Boarding School in Santiago to study humanities, where, once graduated, he worked as inspector.

[5][6] Since 1950 he worked in various representations of the country, highlighting his role as ambassador to the Netherlands (1976–1978), the United States (1978–1981), Peru (1981–1983) and France (1990–1994), the first three during the military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet.

[6] He was ambassador on Special Mission in London, acting as Agent of Chile, for the arbitration relating to the Palena River region (1965–1967) and ambassador on Special Mission in London and Geneva, acting as Agent of Chile, for arbitration related to the Beagle Channel (1971–1978).

[5][6] In 2014 he was summoned by the second Government of Michelle Bachelet to join the advisory committee for Bolivia's lawsuit before the International Court of Justice regarding the maritime negotiation between both countries.