Former La Nación Editor Named Costa Rica’s UN ambassador

Eduardo Ulibarri was named Costa Rica’s ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday, stepping into the vacancy left by Bruno Stagno, who resigned from the post last week. Ulibarri is the president of the San José-based Institute for Press and Freedom of Expression (IPLEX) and a journalism professor at the University of Costa Rica. Ulibarri was also the former editor of Costa Rica’s leading daily newspaper La Nación, and has contributed often to The Tico Times.

“For me this is totally unprecedented,” Ulibarri said on Tuesday. “I am not a specialist in diplomatic matters, nor do I have systematic training in international themes, but I have always been studious and I have an understanding of the larger world.”

Ulibarri will have two months to prepare for his position as UN Ambassador, which is based at the UN headquarters in New York City. The position was vacated last week when Stagno stepped down from the post after being accused of a conflict of interest. Stagno appointed himself to the position before leaving his prior post as foreign minister earlier in the year. In a report on the matter, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said that Stagno’s signing of his own nomination was a “grave error.” The uproar over the Stagno’s self-appointment resulted in his resignation last week (TT, June 4).

–Adam Williams