Miguel Angel Rodriguez (right), with his wife looking on, speaks at CLAS on May 21.

On May 21, 1999 CLAS hosted an intimate breakfast meeting with the President of Costa Rica, the First Lady, and a number of other members of his cabinet. During the meeting the President fielded questions from and exchanged ideas with UCB Latin Americanist faculty Beatriz Manz (former director of CLAS), Bernard Nietchmann, Drew Dougherty, Harley Shaiken (CLAS Chair), and Maria Massolo (CLAS vice-chair). CLAS-affiliated graduate students Leah Rosenbloom and Angelina Snodgrass Godoy, both of whom do research on Costa Rican issues, also took part in the meeting. Write-up of the conversation.

Later that afternoon, President Rodriguez, a UCB alumni, delivered a speech at the graduation ceremony in the Economics Department.

Related article: Charting Costa Rica's Beaches, faculty research by Professor Bernard Nietschmann.

President Rodriguez with Professor Beatriz Manz.