Rodrigo Alberto Carazo Zeledón


Rodrigo Alberto Carazo Zeledón is a Costa Rican politician, economist, lawyer and political scientist and is currently Costa Rica's representative to the United Nations, having presented his credentials the 31st of August 2018. He was the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Costa Rica and a former delegate to the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica who served in that capacity during the Pacheco administration. He was president of the Partido Acción Ciudadana.
Carazo Zeledón is the son of the former president of the Republic, Rodrigo Carazo Odio. Like his father, he has had a strong tendency towards social positions and is conspicuous in opposition to neoliberalism. He was one of the opposition leaders against the Central America Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
In 1997, he obtained his doctorate in political science. Between 1983 and 1987, he completed higher studies in political science at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. He graduated with a Bachelor of economics and social sciences in 1977, and received his Bachelor Law Degree at the University of Costa Rica. He completed post-graduate studies in international law at the Academy of International Law in The Hague and studied economic history at the University of Costa Rica.
He was the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Costa Rica, as well as Vice President and President of the Central American Council of Human Rights, and Vice President and President of the Ibero - American Federation of Ombudsmen. Between 1984 and 1987, he was a representative of the University for Peace to the United Nations European Offices, and from 1979 to 1981 he was an Ambassador in special mission for the General Assembly of the United Nations.
He was also Delegate of the Legislative Power for the Citizen Action Party, member of its Political Commission for the period 2002 - 2006 and president of its Executive Committee from June 28, 2014, until his resignation on September 3, 2014.
He has a private legal practice and several companies. He has been general manager of large companies and university professor at the UCR.