Fernando Berguido

Fernando Berguido was born in Panama City, Panama in 1962. He earned his Bachelor of Laws Degree, cum laude, from Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua School of Law in Panama City, Panama in 1986. Then as a Fulbright Scholar he received his Master of Laws at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (UCLA) in 1988.

He practiced law in Panama City and lectured Constitutional Law at Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua School of Law. He is the author of “La sucesión presidencial en Panamá (1987)”.

Between 2000 and 2005 he served as president of Transparency International’s Panamanian Chapter. During his tenure, Berguido wrote the draft and was instrumental in the enactment of Panama’s first ever freedom of information law, known as “Ley de Transparencia”.

In 2001 he was appointed by Executive Order as Member of the Commission of Truth to investigate crimes committed during Panama’s Military Regime (1968-1989).

From 1994 to 2014 Berguido served in the board of directors of the Panamanian newspaper, La Prensa. In 2004 he was elected as chairman of the board of directors of Corporacion La Prensa and publisher of La Prensa. He has served from 2005-2007, and again since 2009 as Editor in Chief and head of the Investigative Unit.

He is a member of the board of directors of Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Avanzados (Ildea); Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Libertad Ciudadana, and of Centro Latinoamericano de Periodismo(Celap).

In May, 2010 the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University announced the selection of Berguido as Nieman Fellow for the 2011 class.[4] In 2013 he was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism. In October 2013 his book "Una vida postuma" was published, an autobiographical account that reached three editions within the first year. In October 2014, President Juan Carlos Varela appointed Berguido as Panamanian Ambassador to Italy.