Otto Guevara
Encyclopedia
Otto Guevara Guth is a politician in Costa Rica
and founder of the Partido Movimiento Libertario
(Libertarian Movement Party). He served in the Costa Rican legislature from 1998-2006. Guevara is currently the president of the Libertarian Movement Party and has been its candidate for president of Costa Rica in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
Guevara studied at the University of Costa Rica
where he earned Bachelor’s degree in law followed by a Masters in International Business from National University of Costa Rica
and a second Masters degree in Law with an emphasis on Conflict Resolution from Harvard University
. He was also a long-serving professor of law at the University of Costa Rica where he imparted his understanding of education and conflict resolution to his students.
In addition to his work as a lawyer and a professor, he has also made a name in tourism, commercial trade, and public policy. He also produced and hosted a number of television and radio shows focused on his moderate pro-freedom message.
First elected to congress as the sole representative for the Movimiento Libertario in 1998, Guevara earned recognition as Costa Rica’s best legislator by the press every year of his first term. In 2002, Libertarian Movement, with Guevara as the presidential candidate, elected 6 members to Congress out of 57 seats, but few weeks later they lost a Congressman, declared independent. After a split within the party that saw a group of libertarian members leave, Guevara said his party was moving to be liberal and not libertarian. 2006 saw the Libertarian Movement Party again elect 6 members to congress, but they lost again other Congressman. As a presidential candidate in 2006, Guevara earned almost 10% of the vote. In 2009, Guevara is elected presidential candidate for third time. In February 2010, Guevara lost the Presidential election with 20% of the vote for a third place finish.
On election day, Guevara was involved in a religious controversy, as his girlfriend Deborah Formal was seen on national television pocketing part of the host after receiving Eucharist
at Catholic
Mass
.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and founder of the Partido Movimiento Libertario
Movimiento Libertario
The Partido Movimiento Libertario is a political party based on classical liberalism in Costa Rica.It was founded in May 1994 and has since enjoyed a number of victories. It succeeded in getting attorney Otto Guevara elected to the Legislative Assembly in its first campaign in 1998...
(Libertarian Movement Party). He served in the Costa Rican legislature from 1998-2006. Guevara is currently the president of the Libertarian Movement Party and has been its candidate for president of Costa Rica in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
Personal history
Otto Guevara is the son of civil servants. His father, Claudio, was a physician for Costa Rica’s social security system. His mother, Mariechen , worked for the Social Security system before resigning to run the family's tourism business.Guevara studied at the University of Costa Rica
University of Costa Rica
The University of Costa Rica is a public university in the Republic of Costa Rica, in Central America. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, is located in San Pedro, in the province of San José. It is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious institution of higher learning in...
where he earned Bachelor’s degree in law followed by a Masters in International Business from National University of Costa Rica
National University of Costa Rica
National University of Costa Rica in Heredia is one of five public universities in the country. Over 12,000 students study at its main campus. In addition to undergraduate programs, it offers 16 Masters of Art degrees and is strong in ecology and education related coursework.- External links :*...
and a second Masters degree in Law with an emphasis on Conflict Resolution from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He was also a long-serving professor of law at the University of Costa Rica where he imparted his understanding of education and conflict resolution to his students.
In addition to his work as a lawyer and a professor, he has also made a name in tourism, commercial trade, and public policy. He also produced and hosted a number of television and radio shows focused on his moderate pro-freedom message.
Political history
Failing to see any representation for his values in Costa Rica’s traditional parties, Guevara founded the Movimiento Libertario in 1994 to challenge the conventional orthodoxy of Costa Rican politics which he saw as lurching towards greater corruption and less respect for the individual rights of his people. He believes that the principles of moderate intervention of the State and more economical freedom as the best way to improve the lives of the Costa Rican people.First elected to congress as the sole representative for the Movimiento Libertario in 1998, Guevara earned recognition as Costa Rica’s best legislator by the press every year of his first term. In 2002, Libertarian Movement, with Guevara as the presidential candidate, elected 6 members to Congress out of 57 seats, but few weeks later they lost a Congressman, declared independent. After a split within the party that saw a group of libertarian members leave, Guevara said his party was moving to be liberal and not libertarian. 2006 saw the Libertarian Movement Party again elect 6 members to congress, but they lost again other Congressman. As a presidential candidate in 2006, Guevara earned almost 10% of the vote. In 2009, Guevara is elected presidential candidate for third time. In February 2010, Guevara lost the Presidential election with 20% of the vote for a third place finish.
On election day, Guevara was involved in a religious controversy, as his girlfriend Deborah Formal was seen on national television pocketing part of the host after receiving Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
at Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
.
External links
- Movimiento Libertario Official Site
- RELIAL Network of Latin America Libertarian/Classical Liberal Organizations
- Reason Magazine interview with Otto Guevara