US embassy cable - 05SANJOSE1772

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