Ambassador Dr. Oscar Alvarez Araya is the former Ambassador of Costa Rica to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for two terms and Vice Deacon of the accredited diplomatic corps in Taipei. He was also a political advisor to the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, a consultant for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the University for Peace and Inter-American Human Rights Institute. Since 1975 he has been a professor of Political Science and International Relations at various universities, especially at the National University of Costa Rica and at the Autonomous University of Central America. He was President of the National Association of Economic Development (ANFE) for five terms and is a member of the Academic Council of the International Foundation for Freedom which is presided by the Nobel Prize for Literature, Mario Vargas Llosa. He obtained a bachelor’s degree and certificate with honors in Political Science from the University of Costa Rica and a doctorate in Political Science with academic excellence from Bircham International University. He is an author of dozens of books on subjects such as freedom, democracy, peace, values, literature, and international politics. His most recent publication is Political and Economic Thinkers.