Juan Manuel Villasuso

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Villasuso and the second or maternal family name is Estomba.
Juan Manuel Villasuso
President, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad
In office
1981–1983
Minister of Planning
In office
1983–1986
PresidentLuis Alberto Monge
Personal details
CitizenshipCosta Rica
Political partyCitizens' Action Party
Other political
affiliations		Formerly National Liberation Party

Juan Manuel Villasuso Estomba is a Costa Rican politician, writer and civil servant. He is a former member of the National Liberation Party (PLN for its Spanish initials) and a current member of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC for its Spanish initials).

Professional, academic and political work

Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad building where Villasuso served as President

Villasuso studied at the University of Costa Rica in 1971, earning a degree in economics.[1] He also studied at Louisiana State University, earning a Master of Science in economics in 1973.[2]

From 1978 to 1982, Villasuso directed the UCR's Institute for Economic Research. In 1982 and 1983, he was the President of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, the country's governing electricity distributor. From 1983 to 1986, he served as Minister of Planning for Luis Alberto Monge's administration. In addition, he served on the Central Bank's executive board. Between 1981 and 2007, Villasuso was President of the Costa Rican Economic Science Professional Organization.[3]

In 2007, Villasuso came out strongly against the Central American Free Trade Agreement, editorializing against it and supporting PAC, which led the opposition to CAFTA.[4][5]

Villasuso is a professor of economics and politics at the University of Costa Rica and coordinator of the Central American Node of Latin American Networking Commerce. He directs the Society of Information Recognition Program at the UCR.[3]

International work

In addition to working domestically in Costa Rica, Villasuso has considerable experience working in international affairs, mostly in economic development. From 2007 to 2010, he was a collaborating researcher with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.[2] Specifically, he researched poverty reduction in Costa Rica.[2] Villasuso has also worked for the Panamerican Health Organization, the World Bank, the UN Development Program, and the Interamerican Institute for Agricultural Cooperation.[2]

References

  1. ^ Juan Manuel Villasuso, ed. (2003). Procesos de Cambio en Costa Rica: Reflexiones al Inicio del Siglo XXI (in Spanish) (http://cedal.org/docus/pccr.pdf ed.). San José, Costa Rica: Fundación Friedrich Ebert. ISBN 9977-961-29-8. {{cite book}}: External link in |edition= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d "Juan Manuel Villasuso Estomba: Former Collaborating Researcher". Web Page. United Nations RISD. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Juan Manuel Villasuso: Biografía". Biografia. La Republica. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  4. ^ "Carta de Juan Manuel Villasuso a Kevin Casas". Open Letter (in Spanish). Universidad de Costa Rica: TLC en Español. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. ^ Funero Paniagua, Gerardo (2005). Gerardo Funero Paniagua (ed.). TLC con Estados Unidos: desafío al modelo solidario de Costa Rica (in Spanish) (1 ed.). San Jose, Costa Rica: EUNED. ISBN 9968-31-442-0. Retrieved 11 April 2014.