The Ministry of Foreign Trade renews its team of trade negotiators

The Executive Branch renewed the List of International Trade Negotiators of the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX) with the addition of seven officials and the removal of six, through agreement ACU-RZF-0085-2026-COMEX. The decision is signed by President Laura Fernández Delgado and the Minister of Foreign Trade, and is published in La Gaceta No. 192 on Monday, October 12, 2026.

The agreement is issued based on articles 140 paragraphs 3) and 18) and 146 of the Political Constitution, and numerals 25 paragraph 1, 27 paragraph 1, and 28 paragraph 2 subparagraph b) of the General Law of Public Administration (Law No. 6227). Recital IV recalls that the Law for Trade Negotiations and the Administration of Free Trade Agreements, Accords and Foreign Trade Instruments provides, in its article 3, that Costa Rican international trade negotiators shall be appointed by agreement of the Executive Branch.

The current roster had been formed by Executive Agreement No. 116-2021 of September 29, 2021, published in La Gaceta No. 225 on November 22, 2021, and by Executive Agreement No. 316-2002 of July 16, 2002, published in La Gaceta No. 150 on August 07, 2002. The Executive justifies the update due to personnel movements that resulted in the departure and entry of new trade negotiators.

The president’s signature was delegated to Alexander Astorga Monge, Director of the Office of the Presidency, through Presidential Agreement No. 040-P of July 14, 2026, published in La Gaceta No. 133, Supplement No. 91, on July 17, 2026. The agreement was issued in San José on August 24, 2026, and is signed by Astorga on behalf of the president and the acting Minister of Foreign Trade, Arianna Arce Camacho.

Seven new negotiators join the team

Article 1 integrates the following officials into the COMEX List of International Trade Negotiators:

• María Paula Gamboa Quirós, ID 1-1745-0271.
• William Fernando Quesada Álvarez, ID 1-1407-0475.
• Valeria María Garro Ortega, ID 1-1523-0132.
• Luis Enrique Parajeles Blanco, ID 1-1691-0602.
• Andrea Vanessa Araya Umaña, ID 1-1363-0187.
• Marzio Malaguti, Migratory Identity Document for Foreigners 138000172515 (135-413572).
• Daniela Coronado Ocampo, ID 1-1822-0656.

Six departures due to termination or resignation

Article 2 excludes six people from the list, having ceased to hold their positions:

• Sebastián Sauter Odio, ID 1-1676-0605, resigns via note dated July 07, 2025.
• Natalia Porras Zamora, ID 1-1191-0444, note dated December 12, 2025.
• María Fernanda Murillo Mesén, ID 1-1582-0538, note dated January 20, 2026.
• Fabiola Gamboa Ávalos, ID 1-1626-0796, note dated July 08, 2026.
• Mónica Pamela Núñez Solano, ID 2-0800-0155, note dated June 23, 2026.
• María del Pilar Porras Pastor, ID 1-1565-0861, termination communicated via Personnel Action from the Foreign Trade Promoter of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

Validity and publication

Article 3 establishes that the inclusion and exclusion of officials and former officials takes effect from the date stated in the respective Personnel Action of appointment or termination. Article 4 orders the agreement to be published once in the Official Gazette La Gaceta.

The team of trade negotiators is responsible for presenting national proposals and defending the country’s interests in multilateral, regional, and bilateral free trade agreement negotiations, according to the recitals of the agreement. With this update, COMEX defines who represents Costa Rica at those negotiating tables.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 192 of October 12, 2026, Executive Branch–Agreements, p. 4 (official reference: ACU-RZF-0085-2026-COMEX; publication code IN202601131872).