In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mendoza and the second or maternal family name is García.

Juan Carlos Mendoza García (San José, 7 July 1975) is a Costa Rican politician and the country's current Amb*ador to the United Nations. He was a deputy with the Citizens' Action Party (PAC for its Spanish initials) during the 2010 to 2014 and served as President of the Legislative *embly from 2011 to 2012.

Contents

• 1 Early life and academics
• 2 Public service career
• 3 2014 presidential primary and campaign
• 4 References
• 5 See also

Early life and academics

Mendoza is the son of Rolando Mendoza Hernández, a biologist and conservationist, and Nelly García Murillo, a professor of literature. Mendoza studied political science at the University of Costa Rica. As a student, he was disillusioned with the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC for its Spanish initials) and the National Liberation Party (PLN for its Spanish initials), the two ruling parties of Costa Rica. As such, he became involved with Gente U, a leftist student group. In 1996, he traveled to Switzerland to work on an e*enical council *ociated with the World Council of Churches. That same year, he traveled to Germany as a volunteer with the Hendrik Kraemer Haus, helping refugees. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a Master's in communication.

Mendoza has cited the works of the '40s generation as having an impact on his political and social development.

Public service career

In 1999, Mendoza began working for the National Ombudsman's office. When PAC was formed in 2001, Mendoza joined and has been a member ever since. From 2002 to 2006, Mendoza worked as an adviser to deputy Rodrigo Alberto Carazo Zeledón. From 2006 to 2010, he worked as an adviser to deputy Leda Zamora. During both advisory stints, Mendoza specialized in public budgeting and the defense of national ins*utions that create public opportunities.

In February 2010, he was elected deputy. He served on the Economic Affairs, International Relations, Overseas Commerce, Human Rights, and Electric commissions. He was the leader of the PAC deputies during his first year in office, and in his second year he was elected president of the Legislative *embly, winning with 31 votes from five different parties. Mendoza allied PAC with other parties to create the Alliance for Costa Rica (Alianza por Costa Rica), an opposition coalition.

In this role, Mendoza fought against President Laura Chinchilla's tax plan, attempts to raise the salaries of deputies, and attempts to deregulate the energy market to allow more private investments. Additionally, Mendoza cut spending by deputies, installed GPS in the *embly's car to track unlawful use, supported water rights, and rights for indigenous people and the LGBT population.

In April 2014, President-elect Luis Guillermo Solís announced Mendoza as the next Costa Rican Amb*ador to the United Nations.

2014 presidential primary and campaign

Mendoza was the first PAC candidate to enroll in the party's presidential primary in 2013. Running against Luis Guillermo Solís, Epsy Campbell Barr, and Ronald Solís Bolaños, Mendoza gained only 113 fewer votes than Solís. The primary campaign was hotly contested but not bitter. Solís considered Mendoza as a vice presidential candidate before settling on Ana Helena Chacón and Helio Fallas. Mendoza claimed that the primary process strengthened PAC and began campaigning vigorously for

References

Notable members

• Carlos Alvarado Quesada
• Wilfrido Blanco
• Margarita Bolaños Arquín
• Epsy Campbell Barr
• Alberto Cañas Escalante
• Ana Helena Chacón Echeverría
• Helio Fallas
• Elizabeth Fonseca Corrales
• Juan Carlos Mendoza García
• Guido Miranda
• Víctor Morales Mora
• Olivier Pérez González
• Jorge Antonio Salas Bonilla
• Alberto Salom Echeverría
• Olga Marta Sánchez Oviedo
• Hernán Solano
• Luis Guillermo Solís
• Ottón Solís Fallas
• Ronald Solís Bolaños
• Eduardo Trejos Lalli
• Gloria Valerín Rodríguez
• Juan Manuel Villasuso
• Leda Zamora Chaves

Issues and beliefs

• Christian socialism
• Social democracy
• Progressivism

• Portal:Politics
• List of political parties
• Politics of Costa Rica
• Category

See also

• Citizens' Action Party
• Legislative *embly of Costa Rica