Peter Cianchette, U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Costa Rica.

New Ambassador Sworn In

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Businessman Peter Cianchette was sworn in this afternoon as the new U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica.

“It is an honor for me to serve my country in Costa Rica, a model of democracy and peace in the region. I look forward to expanding the strong relations between our two nations,” said Ambassador Cianchette.

Biography

Peter Cianchette, U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Costa Rica, is Maine’s National Republican Committeeman and served as the Maine General Chairman of the Bush-Cheney ’04 campaign.  In 2002, Peter Cianchette was the Republican nominee for governor of Maine.  Mr. Cianchette is president of The Cianchette Group, a public affairs management and business consulting firm. He is also a partner in the Portland-based private investment firm, CHK Capital Partners. (more)

Latest Headlines From the Embassy

Members of the Costa Rican Red Cross Search and Rescue Team assist victims during an earthquake drill in Panama.

Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 08

Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 08 (FAHUM 08)is a regional level disaster assistance exercise, sponsored by U.S. Southern Command, which includes the institutions and agencies that are in Costa Rica, Panama and the Central American Region. The purpose of the exercise is to improve the contacts and coordination procedures among the participating organizations, and promote cooperation commitments among neighboring countries. The exercise will promote and exercise the national response in disaster situations. This year FAHUM 08 exercise was done in Panama from April 22 through April

San Jose. April 24th, 2008

How could a library attract youth audiences?

In a Video Conference organized by the U.S. Embassy’s Information Resource Center and the University of Costa Rica, two experts from the Arlington Library in Virginia, Maria Gentle and Mariela Aguilar, addressed an audience comprised of over 40 librarians and students .

The speakers and attendees shared ideas on how to create programs, special activities and innovative services using new technologies to attract youth audiences to libraries. Six other posts (Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama and Ecuador) watched the program via webcam.

Maj. Samuel Lopez-Santana (ODR - US Army) talks with young soccer player getting suited up.

Pavas, Costa Rica

On Sunday, April 20, 2008, Embassy San Jose's Office of the Defense Representative (ODR), with direct support from the U.S. Southern Command, donated uniforms, balls, gloves and other soccer equipment for 120 young Costa Rican soccer enthusiasts who practice their skills in the Embassy's neighborhood of Pavas. ODR and DEA representatives from Embassy San Jose took advantage of the opportunity to talk with the students about the importance of focusing on positive activities, such as sports, and staying away from dangerous involvement in drugs and crime.

After sharing lunch with the young people, Embassy representatives distributed the uniforms and equipment to the Sports Committee of Pavas, the Development Association and the Liberty Club. Eager soccer players were quick to don uniforms for a group photo.

The R/V Marcus G. Langseth is a 235 ft, 2578 gross ton research vessel which is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.

Caldera, Costa Rica.

The Embassy welcomes the visit by the scientific research vessel R/V Marcus Langseth to the Port of Caldera on Wednesday, 16 April.

In celebration of Earth Day, the U.S. Embassy organized a tour of the ship by 25 students from the University of Costa Rica School of Geology to learn about the vessel's contribution to geophysical research - on this particular mission, volcanic activity in Costa Rica.

Embassy Economic Officer Mark Kissel and Embassy staff noted that the visit touched upon many topics linked to broadening knowledge of Earth sciences - U.S. Government support through the National Science Foundation for marine geophysical and bathymetric research; management of Langseth missions by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University; close scientific collaboration between the University of Costa Rica and US academics from a variety of US institutions; and, most significantly, the experiences of UCR students installing seismographs in Costa Rica for the mission and participating on the research expedition

The Embassy wishes to thank Jeff Rupert (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), Steven Holbrook (Wyoming University and Head scientist), Percy Denyer (University of Costa Rica School of Geology Director) and James O’Loughlin (Mission Captain) for making this opportunity possible.

The scientists study the origin of the Costa Rican volcanoes (Article from nacion.com/ Spanish Only)

U.S.Embassy Officer Robert Andrew delivers three document scanners to the Director General of Immigration and Foreign Status Mario Zamora

San Jose, Costa Rica (April 18, 2008).

The Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section of the U.S. Embassy donated three specialized document scanners to the Government of Costa Rica's Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, Government and Police.  These scanners will help digitize Costa Rica's paper immigration records and streamline document management.

Latest News from Washington

• State’s Johnson’s Remarks on Combating Transnational Crime
  05/01/2008
  Strong law enforcement institutions, rooted in democratic principles and protective of human rights, are vital to preventing a wide array of transnational threats to the Western hemisphere, from drugs to other forms of organized criminal activity to terrorism. The U.S. relies on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global assistance programs to strengthen the law enforcement capacity of its partners.

• Citizen Involvement in Summit of the Americas Process Expanding
  05/02/2008
  Citizen involvement is increasing in the Summit of the Americas process, as demonstrated by a recent Civil Society Hemispheric Forum in Miami. About 120 representatives of civil society organizations from more than 30 countries in the Americas participated. Some of them share their thoughts on the process with America.gov.
• Long-term Approach to Food Aid Problems Necessary, Rice Says
  04/30/2008
  An integrated approach to dealing with food aid problems can help avert future food crises, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says. America needs to be able to purchase food in regions where it is most likely to be needed. Local purchasing would drive down transportation costs and be good for markets seeking local goods, she says.
• Public-Private Partnerships Foster Innovative Solutions
  04/24/2008
  What would you do if you were offered $1 million to build a robot vehicle that could drive at speed, park, avoid pedestrians and cars driven by professional racers, and obey traffic laws?  A Virginia Tech student jumped at the chance to team with professional engineers outfitting a car with electronics and computers to do just that.
• Three-Nation Partnership Growing Strong, Says Negroponte
  04/23/2008
  U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte authors an op-ed in the Times-Picayune of New Orleans on the United States’ strong partnership with Mexico and Canada. The three nations’ “unprecedented levels of cooperation … at every level” are making their citizens “safer and more competitive in the world,” he says.