Rodrigo Arias Sánchez

Rodrigo Gerardo de Jesús Arias Sánchez (born 26 July 1946) is a Costa Rican lawyer and politician who has been President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica since 2022. He also served as Minister of the Presidency during the two governments of his brother, Óscar Arias Sánchez, from 1986 to 1990 and 2006 to 2010.

Rodrigo Arias Sánchez
Sánchez in 2022
President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 May 2022
Preceded by	Silvia Hernández Sánchez
Deputy of the Legislative Assembly from San José's 1st seat
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 May 2022
Preceded by	Carlos Benavides Jiménez
Minister of the Presidency of Costa Rica
In office 8 March 2006 – 8 May 2010
President	Óscar Arias
Preceded by	Lineth Saborío Chaverri
Succeeded by	Marco Vargas Díaz
In office 8 May 1986 – 8 May 1990
President	Óscar Arias
Preceded by	Danilo Jiménez Veiga
Succeeded by	Rodolfo Méndez Mata
Personal details
Born	Rodrigo Gerardo de Jesús Arias Sánchez (1946-11-21) 21 November 1946 (age 78) Heredia, Costa Rica
Political party	National Liberation Party
Education	University of Costa Rica University of Pennsylvania

Early life and education

Sánchez was born in Heredia on 26 July 1946,^[1] the second child after Óscar Arias, of Juan Rafael Arias Trejos and Lylliam Sánchez Cortés.

Sánchez graduated from the University of Costa Rica with a Bachelor of Laws in 1969 before earning a Master of Laws from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.^[1]

Political career

Sánchez was elected municipal councilor of Heredia for the four-year term 1974–1978. He achieved this victory even though he had not always been a member of the ranks of the National Liberation Party – as his brother Óscar Arias – because as a young man he sympathized with the presidential candidacy of José Joaquín Trejos, of the National Unification Party, who ruled from 1966 to 1970.^[2]

After being advisor to the President of the Republic, Sánchez was appointed as Minister of the Presidency during the two governments of his brother, Óscar Arias Sánchez, from 1986 to 1990 and 2006 to 2010. During his tenures as Minister, Sánchez played an important role as a government spokesman and in favor of CAFTA implementation laws. In March 2009, Rodrigo Arias Sánchez declared himself in favor of a constitutional reform.^[2]

Following the general elections, on 1 May 2022, Sánchez was elected President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica with 50 votes in favor.^[3]

References

1. "Rodrigo Arias Sánchez – Curriculum". www.asamblea.go.cr (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2022.
2. "Rodrigo Arias, el experimentado político que regresa a la arena luego de dejar la carrera presidencial". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2022.
3. "Rodrigo Arias asume presidencia del Congreso con apoyo de 50 diputados". www.larepublica.net (in European Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2022.