Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANJOSE1772
2005-08-05 22:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy San Jose
Cable title:  

NEW HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN ELECTED

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR CS 
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UNCLAS SAN JOSE 001772 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN MKOPOLOW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR CS
SUBJECT: NEW HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN ELECTED


UNCLAS SAN JOSE 001772

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN MKOPOLOW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR CS
SUBJECT: NEW HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN ELECTED



1. Summary: The Legislative Assembly elected Lisbeth Quesada
Tristan to the 4-year independent post of human rights
ombudsman (Defensor de los Habitantes) on August 4, 2005.
Quesada, 53, is a medical doctor unaffiliated with any
political party. The Ombudsman's position had been vacant
since June 5. Brief biographical information is at paragraph

3. End summary.


2. Quesada's election puts an end to a lengthy political
dispute which had left the high-profile human rights job
vacant for nearly two months. After three rounds of voting,
and by a margin of only five votes, a coalition of the
National Liberation Party (PLN),Citizen's Action Party
(PAC),and the Patriotic Union Party (UP) defeated the ruling
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) and Libertarian Movement
Party (ML) candidate, lawyer Juan Jose Echeverria Alfaro.
Quesada won 28 votes (the minimum necessary) as compared to
23 for Echeverria. Quesada seemed surprised by her victory
and was obviously thrilled by it. In several gushy media
interviews, Quesada stressed her independence from the
parties that elected her and promised a rigorous defense of
Costa Rica's health system and social safety net. Quesada
will be sworn in on Tuesday, August 9. Her term will expire
the same day in 2009. She can be re-elected once.

Biographical details
--------------

3. Quesada obtained a medical degree in 1984 from the
University of Costa Rica and has practiced medicine since
then. She has focused her career on pain management and did
a year of post-graduate work in that field in 2001 at the
Universidad El Salvador in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since
1990, Quesada directed the Palliative Care Clinic at the
National Children's Hospital. Since 2000, Quesada has also
directed Albergue San Gabriel, a shelter for children with
terminal cancer. She is a member of the General Assembly of
the Costa Rican Cancer Institute. Born June 25, 1952,
Quesada is a divorced mother of two. She originally sought a
career on stage, working in theater and some television in
the 1970's. Quesada received a Bachelor's degree in
"Dramatic Arts" from the University of Costa Rica in 1981.
Quesada has traveled frequently to the United States and
speaks English well. She is an honorary member of the
International Advisory Council, Children's Hospice
International, Alexandria, Virginia, and in 1987, she
received a Fulbright to research hospice medicine at St.
Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.


4. Comment: In a positive development, the often-gridlocked
Legislative Assembly has shown itself capable of filling an
important position (albeit after an unseemly gap) with a
non-partisan professional. Quesada's lack of political
connections was clearly a factor in her victory as several
Assembly members who supported her criticized her predecessor
(and now presidential candidate) for using the human rights
position as a springboard into national politics. Quesada
has disavowed all interest in a political career. She
impressed other legislators with her straight talk and
humanitarian efforts, particularly her work with dying
children. From her initial interviews, it is clear that
Quesada will bring passion and energy to her new job, but her
effectiveness in addressing human rights issues outside her
extensive background in Costa Rica's health care system
remains to be seen.
KAPLAN