Epsy Campbell Barr

Epsy Campbell Barr
Campbell Barr in 2019
First Vice-President of Costa Rica
In office
8 May 2018 – 8 May 2022
PresidentCarlos Alvarado
Preceded byHelio Fallas Venegas
Succeeded byStephan Brunner
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
8 May 2018 – 11 December 2018
PresidentCarlos Alvarado
Preceded byManuel González Sanz
Succeeded byLorena Aguilar Revelo (Acting)
Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
In office
1 May 2014 – 30 April 2018
Preceded byViviana Martín Salazar
Succeeded bySilvia Hernández Sánchez
ConstituencySan José (2nd Office)
In office
1 May 2002 – 30 April 2006
Preceded bySonia Picado Sotela
Succeeded byAlberto Salom Echeverría
ConstituencySan José (9th Office)
Personal details
Born (1963-07-04) 4 July 1963 (age 61)
San José, Costa Rica
Political partyCitizens' Action Party
RelationsShirley Campbell Barr (sister)
ProfessionEconomist, human rights activist

Epsy Alejandra Campbell Barr (born 4 July 1963) is a Costa Rican politician and economist who served as the Vice-president of Costa Rica from 8 May 2018 to 8 May 2022. She is the first woman of African descent to be vice president in Costa Rica and in Latin America.[1][2][3]

One of the founders of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC), she ran for president in 2010 and 2014, and was a deputy for San José Province in the Legislative Assembly from 2002 to 2006[4] and 2014 to 2018.[5]

Campbell was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position she held from 8 May to 10 December 2018.[6]

Campbell was the promoter of the International Day for People of African Descent, declared by the United Nations General Assembly. She promoted the creation of, and chaired, the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent during the 2022-2024 term,[7] is the founder of the Global Coalition Against Systemic Racism and for Reparations, was elected in October 2024 as president of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, replacing Mary Robinson, and is the executive president of the "Respect. No to Racism" campaign.[8]

  1. ^ Danielle, Britni (24 October 2020). "Costa Rica Just Elected A Black Female Vice President, The First In All Of the Americas". Essence. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  2. ^ Gutiérrez, Icíar (15 April 2018). "La primera mujer negra vicepresidenta en Latinoamérica: "Esta debería haber sido una noticia del siglo pasado"" [The first black woman vice president in Latin America: "This should have been news from the last century"]. elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Epsy Campbell, The First Afrodescendant Vice President Of Costa Rica". Q COSTA RICA. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Diputadas y diputados". www.asamblea.go.cr. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  5. ^ Ruiz Ramón, Gerardo (14 March 2014). "Epsy Campbell no rechazaría oferta de candidatura para presidir el Congreso". La Nacion (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Epsy Campbell: Romperá otro molde al ser la primera mujer canciller del país". La Nación (in Spanish). 27 April 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Primera Sesión del Foro Permanente sobre los Afrodescendientes". UNFPA Panama. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Lanzan campaña para sensibilizar sobre los aportes de las personas afrodescendientes | EEAS". www.eeas.europa.eu. Retrieved 1 December 2023.