Barbosa, Ruy (rOO'ē bärbō'sä) [key], 1849–1923, Brazilian jurist, writer, and statesman. He was largely responsible for the republican constitution of Brazil and was the champion of law and liberty under recurrent dictatorships. A noted internationalist, he distinguished himself as head of the Brazilian delegation to the 1907 peace conference at The Hague and was elected (1908) to the World Court. As a writer, Barbosa has been regarded as one of the greatest stylists in the Portuguese language.
