# Fernando Sánchez Campos

Fernando Felipe Sánchez Campos was born on January 13, 1974, in Costa Rica. He is a Costa Rican politician.

## Biography
### Early life and education

Fernando Sánchez Campos was born on January 13, 1974, in San José, Costa Rica. He is married to María del Milagro Linares-Martín, and they have two children named Fernando Felipe and María Pía. The Sánchez-Linares family is actively involved in the Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles Parrish in Heredia, Costa Rica.
In terms of his academic background, Fernando Sánchez has held various positions at academic institutions such as the University of Costa Rica, INCAE Business School, the University of Oxford, the University of Salamanca, and the Catholic University of Valencia. He has worked as a consultant for the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIHR) and the Centro de Asesoría y Promoción Electoral (CAPEL). Currently, he serves as the Rector of the Catholic University of Costa Rica (UCAT) and holds the position of Second Vice President of the Organización de Universidades Católicas de América Latina y el Caribe (ODUCAL) for the Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean sub-region. He has recently become a member of the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU).
Fernando Sánchez holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Oxford, a master's degree in Business Administration from INCAE Business School, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Costa Rica. He is the author of eight published books and has contributed chapters to various books and academic articles. He regularly contributes to national newspapers in Costa Rica and has received several prizes, distinctions, and honors both in Costa Rica and internationally. Fernando Sánchez is a native Spanish speaker and is also proficient in English and Italian.

## Political career

Sanchez Campos served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, the country's unicameral parliament, from 2006 to 2010. On August 24, 2010, he was appointed as the ambassador to the Vatican and the Food and Agriculture Organization. http://www.nacion.com/2010-08-24/Deportes/UltimaHora/Deportes2496352.aspx.
Fernando Felipe Sánchez Campos has worked in the public sector as a diplomat, representing the Republic of Costa Rica as an Ambassador to the Holy See (the Vatican), the Sovereign Order of Malta, and as a Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rome-based agencies (the Food and Agricultural Organization—FAO—, the International Fund for Agricultural Development—IFAD—, and the World Food Program—WFP—). Additionally, he was elected as a deputy to the Legislative Assembly through popular vote and served as the president of several central legislative commissions, including the Permanent Commission for Social Welfare Affairs and the Special Permanent Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

### Involvement in the memorandum on CAFTA-DR referendum

In 2007, Sanchez, who was a member of the Costa Rican parliament at the time, became involved in a scandal related to a memorandum sent to President Oscar Arias by him and Kevin Casas, who was the vice president of Costa Rica and the minister of national planning at the time. The leaked memorandum discussed the government's strategy and the ruling party's stance on the referendum held in October 2007 regarding CAFTA-DR.
The disclosure of the memo generated controversy, especially among those who opposed CAFTA-DR. Critics argued that the memorandum implied questionable and potentially unlawful tactics in the government's campaign for the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Consequently, Casas resigned from his positions as vice president and planning minister. Sanchez Campos also resigned from two parliamentary committees that he chaired at the time the controversy arose: the Electoral Reform Commission and the Commission on the Development Bank Law. Controversy memorandum.

### Controversy on links with US actor Steven Seagal

In June 2010, Sanchez Campos became involved in a controversy related to the visit of US actor Steven Seagal to Costa Rica. According to Sanchez Campos, he introduced Seagal to high-ranking Costa Rican authorities during the actor's visit. The meeting between Seagal and Costa Rican ministers received criticism from the local media due to ongoing legal issues concerning sexual harassment allegations against Seagal. Seagal met with José María Tijerino, who was the minister of seguridad (police) at the time, as well as Jorge Rojas, the director of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), and expressed his willingness to collaborate on a proposal to combat crime in Costa Rica. Additionally, he held a meeting with René Castro, the Costa Rican minister of foreign affairs, to discuss these matters. Seagal claimed to serve as a reserve deputy chief of the Sheriff's Office in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and his work there had been featured in a reality TV show in 2009. Critics argue that Seagal's rank as deputy chief is purely honorary, although his show suggests active involvement. They also point out that Seagal claims to have attended a police academy in Los Angeles and possesses a certificate from Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST), an organization that accredits police officers. However, media reports indicated that POST officials in California and Louisiana have no record of Seagal being certified.

## Books

Sanchez Campos has authored and co-authored a wide range of publications, including works such as "Partidos políticos, elecciones y lealtades partidarias en Costa Rica: Erosión y Cambio," "Politica y poder," "Reflexiones desde mi ventana" (2005), and "Fortalecimiento de los partidos políticos en América Latina: Institucionalización, democratización y transparencia," among others.