Chavarria, who held several posts in the Nicaraguan government during the 1980s, will discuss U.S. policy toward Nicaragua at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, April 22, in Room 104 George Davis Hall. Chavarria was in office when the Sandanista government was opposed by a U.S-supported rebel army, known as "contras."
Both lectures are free and open to the public.
Chavarria, a sociologist, theologian and former Roman Catholic priest, is currently Executive Director of The Institute for Human Promotion in Nicaragua. He designed a community housing project for families displaced by Hurricane Mitch and aided in the economic recovery efforts in rural areas of Nicaragua that were devastated by the hurricane.
Chavarria earned his M.A. in Latin American Studies from Ohio University in 1978 and his Ph.D. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University in 1980.
The lectures are sponsored by the Latin American Concerns Committee, Spanish Club, Tertulia, the Office of Intercultural Life and the Latin American Studies Program.
Founded in 1837, Knox is an independent, four-year, liberal arts college, located in Galesburg, Illinois, with 1,100 students from 42 states and 33 nations. Knox's "Old Main," a National Historic Landmark, is the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.
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