One of the most extraordinary guests I’ve ever had on Chatter That Matters—and someone who truly put a dent in our universe—is Dr. Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and two-time President of Costa Rica. Hear his stories of how he had to work with or defy Reagan, Bush, Thatcher, Castro, and so many more.

To set the stage: In 1986, Central America was on fire.

Civil wars raged in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The United States and the Soviet Union armed opposing sides. The region was drowning in ideology, bloodshed, and fear.

Then came Oscar Arias, the newly elected President of Costa Rica—a nation with no military.

While others escalated the violence, Arias chose defiance.

He expelled U.S.-backed rebels from Costa Rican soil, rejected global pressure, and authored the Arias Peace Plan. This bold diplomatic initiative helped bring five nations to the table and bring an end to years of war.

Oscar Arias didn’t just defy world leaders; he defied the odds and changed the course of history.

In 1987, Arias was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But he didn’t stop there.

Through the Arias Foundation for Peace & Human Progress, he helped spark the UN Arms Trade Treaty—the first legally binding agreement to regulate the global weapons trade.

And now, in his 80s, Oscar Arias is on one last mission:

To build a Global Peace Museum in Costa Rica. A place to remind the world that peace isn’t idealistic, it's possible, if given a chance.

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