Introduction
Guillermo Cochez is a Panamanian politician and lawyer who served as the former representative of Panama to the Organization of American States (OAS) between 2009 and 2013.
Education
Cochez attended a primary and high school run by the La Salle Christian Brothers. For his college studies, he attended the University of Panama for his law degree and later attended Tulane University where he received a Masters of Civil Law.
Career
Law
When Cochez returned to Panama, he established his own law practice and began to teach at the University of Panama's law school. Following his involvement in government office, Cochez returned to practicing law and focused on Panamanian banking and financial laws.
Mayor of Panama City
Following the fall of the Manuel Noriega dictatorship in 1989, Cochez was chosen as Mayor of Panama City where he served until 1991.
Organization of American States (OAS)
He was removed from his position after an outburst during a January 17, 2013 OAS session, in which he referred to Venezuela as a “classic dictatorship” and a “sick democracy”. He claimed Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was dead, citing his delayed inauguration as a way for the government to buy themselves time for a re-election.
Human rights groups, such as the Human Rights Foundation have expressed support for Cochez, calling him "a loss for the OAS" and referring to him as "the only Latin American diplomat who dared to challenge the legitimacy of the Cuban government".
Awards and recognition
- 2013 – The Francisco de Miranda Award from the Interamerican Institute for Democracy.
- Ortega, Alfredo. "Award "Francisco de Miranda" to the defenders of liberty and democracy, recipient: Ambassador Guillermo Cochez". Interamerican Institute for Democracy. Retrieved 20 May 2016.