Federico Urruela
Encyclopedia
Federico Urruela Prado Guatemala
n diplomat and lawyer.
He graduated from the Rafael Landivar University and served as examining magistrate
for several years before joining the Guatemalan Foreign Service in 1977. He was named Ambassador
in 1983 and had an illustrious diplomatic career with posts in Ottawa
, Canada
(1983–1990), Geneva
, Switzerland
(1990–1997) and Vienna
, Austria
(1997–2004).
He was Ambassador to the United Nations
in Geneva when the Guatemalan Government and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity
(URNG) negotiated the Peace Accords, brokered by the UN, to end over 30 years of armed conflict. He played a significant role in the negotiations that took place in Geneva.
In Austria, he was Ambassador to Austria and also to the United Nations in Vienna, and was instrumental in strengthening ties between Guatemala and Austria, both economically and culturally. He died on January 31, 2004 and was postrhumously decorated by the Government of Guatemala in February 2004, with the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
in the Grade of the Great Cross (Orden de Antonio José de Irisarri en el Grado de Gran Cruz) and in July 2004 the Austrian Government awarded him the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
in Gold (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich).
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n diplomat and lawyer.
He graduated from the Rafael Landivar University and served as examining magistrate
Examining magistrate
In an inquisitorial system of law the examining magistrate or investigating magistrate is a judge who carries out investigations into cases and arranges prosecutions....
for several years before joining the Guatemalan Foreign Service in 1977. He was named Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in 1983 and had an illustrious diplomatic career with posts in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(1983–1990), Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(1990–1997) and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(1997–2004).
He was Ambassador to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Geneva when the Guatemalan Government and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity
The Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity is a Guatemalan political party that started as a guerrilla movement but laid down its arms in 1996 and became a legal political party in 1998 after the peace process after the Guatemalan Civil War.-Formation:Since the CIA-backed...
(URNG) negotiated the Peace Accords, brokered by the UN, to end over 30 years of armed conflict. He played a significant role in the negotiations that took place in Geneva.
In Austria, he was Ambassador to Austria and also to the United Nations in Vienna, and was instrumental in strengthening ties between Guatemala and Austria, both economically and culturally. He died on January 31, 2004 and was postrhumously decorated by the Government of Guatemala in February 2004, with the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
The Order of Antonio José de Irisarri was founded in 1973 by the government of Guatemala. It was named in honour of the statesman and writer Antonio José de Irisarri. The order has five classes.* Grand Collar...
in the Grade of the Great Cross (Orden de Antonio José de Irisarri en el Grado de Gran Cruz) and in July 2004 the Austrian Government awarded him the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria...
in Gold (Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich).