Oscar Arias

Oscar Arias, who in February was re-elected to the Costa Rican presidency, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 in recognition of his role in brokering a peace plan with the leaders of Central America during his first term as Costa Rican president.

One of Arias’ goals was to defuse the Sandinista and Contra guerrilla armies in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. He resisted pressure to support the Contras and refused to arm Costa Rica, preferring diplomacy and neutrality.

By 1987, Arias influenced the leaders of five Central American countries—Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica—to sign the Contadora Peace Plan, which stressed democratic elections and withdrawal of all foreign parties.

Arias used his Nobel Peace Prize award to establish the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress. When his first presidency ended in 1990, he continued to work for democracy and demilitarization throughout the world.

In 1999, Arias welcomed more than 30 students from DU’s Graduate School of International Studies to his home in Costa Rica. The visit was part of Culture and Politics in Central America, an annual study-abroad course led by Associate Professor Arthur Gilbert.

—Brenda Goates