VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0188/01 0312226
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 312226Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7115
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000188 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL CS
SUBJECT: SEEKING NAMES OF INFLUENTIAL WOMEN - REPLY TO ACTION 
REQUEST 
 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND S/WE SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE 
 
REF: 2006 STATE 202341 
 
¶1.  Pursuant to S/WE request reftel, Post has identified six 
influential women in host country, drawing from both government and 
civil society (media, industry, and education). 
 
GOVERNMENT 
 
NAME: Laura Chinchilla 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: First Vice President of Costa Rica and 
Minister of Justice 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 280-7776 
Chinchilla currently serves simultaneous roles as vice-president and 
justice minister in the Oscar Arias administration.  She was 
minister of public security from 1996-1998 and a deputy in the 
national legislature from 2002-2006.  She is an expert in judicial 
and public security reform in Latin America and has a master's 
degree in public policy from Georgetown University. 
 
NAME: Yalile Esna Williams 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Deputy in the Costa Rican Legislative 
Assembly 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: 506) 243-2372/2373 
EMAIL: yesna@asamblea.go.cr 
Esna Williams is the sole Afro-Caribbean member of the national 
legislature.  She is involved in many social, economic, and security 
issues in the Caribbean area of Limon. This region is important to 
U.S. trade and security interests and would be even more so with an 
approved free trade treaty. 
 
GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY 
 
NAME: Mayi Antillon 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Deputy in the Costa Rican Legislative 
Assembly 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 243-2006/07. 
EMAIL: mantillon@asamblea.go.cr 
Antillon is the legislative party chief of the majority National 
Liberation Party and plays a major role in the pro-CAFTA legislative 
bloc.  She is a former vice-president of the Costa Rican chamber of 
industry. 
 
 
 
 
EDUCATION 
 
NAME: Clotilde Fonseca 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: Executive Director of the Omar Dengo 
Foundation 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 257-6263 / 222-1654 
EMAIL: clotilde.fonseca@fod.ac.cr 
The dynamic Fonseca was one of the founding directors of Costa 
Rica's educational informatics program created in 1988 by the Omar 
Dengo Foundation and the Ministry of Public Education that has 
reached over one million children.  The Omar Dengo Foundation 
promotes the economic, social, and human development of Costa Rica 
through innovative programs to improve educational quality.  Fonseca 
is particularly interested in the use of technology to develop 
talent, creativity, and cognitive skills. 
 
MEDIA 
 
NAME: Amelia Rueda 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION: News Director of Radio Monumental 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Tel: (506) 232-4590 
EMAIL: arueda@monumental.co.cr 
Rueda has over 30 years experience in Costa Rican radio and 
television.  She hosts a popular radio call-in program that 
discusses a wide-range of issues impacting Costa Rica.  She 
interviews prominent Costa Ricans, including presidents and 
legislative leaders.  Considered a voice of credibility in Costa 
Rica, even by those not in agreement with her views. 
 
CIVIL RIGHTS 
 
NAME: Sonia Picado 
TITLE AND INSTITUTION:  President of the General Assembly of the 
Inter-American Institute of Human Rights 
CONTACT INFORMATIN: Tel: (506)234-0240 
EMAIL: spicado@iidh.ed.cr 
Picado has a wide range of experience in Costa Rican government and 
legal circles.  She is a former national legislative deputy, 
ambassador to the U.S, judge in the Inter-American Court of Human 
Rights, and dean of the national university's law school. 
 
¶2. The officer at post responsible for women's issues is political 
officer Andrew Prater (prateral@state.gov, 506-519-2256) until May 
1, 2007 when political officer Dorian Hurtado (hurtadodx@state.gov, 
506-519-2000) assumes the portfolio. 
 
LANGDALE