Claudia Bermudez
Encyclopedia
Claudia Bermúdez is a Nicaraguan-American
politician
and entrepreneur
. She ran for the United States Congress
as a Republican in California's 9th congressional district
. She is the first Nicaraguan-American to be the nominee of a major party for a seat in the Congress of the United States.
She is also well known as the daughter of Enrique Bermúdez
, the military commander of the Nicaraguan contras
, who was a key figure in the United States
-led proxy war against Nicaragua's Marxist government, which was supported by the Soviet Union
and Cuba
. The war was one of the most prominent of the Cold War
conflict.
, Nicaragua
. As a child she moved to San Francisco, California
where she attended elementary and junior high school. After turning 16 Bermúdez moved back to her native Managua, Nicaragua to live with her father. She later graduated from high school there at the American Nicaraguan School
.
Bermúdez graduated magna cum laude in Social Science with an emphasis in business
and economics from the Hawaii Loa College
in Kaneohe, Hawaii
in 1988. While attending Loa College, Bermúdez was Managing Editor of the college newspaper. She was elected Senior Class President and was named to "Outstanding Young Women of America". Also while in attendance she received the "Ward Mardfin Award" for Excellence in Business and Economics. Bermúdez later attended the California Institute of Integral Studies
where she received her master's degree
in cultural
and social anthropology
in 1999. She later attended the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center
in San Francisco where she began her studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
as a Republican in California's 9th congressional district
in 2004. She ran against Libertarian
James M. Eyer and Democratic Party
candidate Barbara Lee
. Bermúdez received 12.3% of the votes and lost to Lee.
Bermúdez is a former board member of the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society. She served on the Board of the Lakeside Drive Homeowners Association and is the current Chair of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly
of Alameda County and President of the Alameda Republican Women, Federated.
Nicaraguan American
Nicaraguan American are Americans of Nicaraguan ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 177,684 Americans of full or partial Nicaraguan ancestry living in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. She ran for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
as a Republican in California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers a significant portion of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area...
. She is the first Nicaraguan-American to be the nominee of a major party for a seat in the Congress of the United States.
She is also well known as the daughter of Enrique Bermúdez
Enrique Bermúdez
Enrique Bermúdez Varela was a Nicaraguan who founded and commanded the Nicaraguan Contras. In this capacity, he became a central global figure in one of the most prominent conflicts of the Cold War....
, the military commander of the Nicaraguan contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
, who was a key figure in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led proxy war against Nicaragua's Marxist government, which was supported by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The war was one of the most prominent of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
conflict.
Personal life
Bermúdez was born in ManaguaManagua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. As a child she moved to San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where she attended elementary and junior high school. After turning 16 Bermúdez moved back to her native Managua, Nicaragua to live with her father. She later graduated from high school there at the American Nicaraguan School
American Nicaraguan School
The American Nicaraguan School is a private school located in Managua, Nicaragua. It is the only school in Nicaragua to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of American Schools in South America.-History:...
.
Bermúdez graduated magna cum laude in Social Science with an emphasis in business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and economics from the Hawaii Loa College
Hawaii Pacific University
Hawaii Pacific University, also known as HPU, is a private, Nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Honolulu, Hawaii and Kaneohe, Hawaii. HPU founded in 1965 as Hawaii Pacific College by Paul C.T. Loo, Eureka Forbes, Elizabeth W...
in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1988. While attending Loa College, Bermúdez was Managing Editor of the college newspaper. She was elected Senior Class President and was named to "Outstanding Young Women of America". Also while in attendance she received the "Ward Mardfin Award" for Excellence in Business and Economics. Bermúdez later attended the California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies is a private institution of higher education founded in 1968 and based in San Francisco, California. It currently operates in three locations just south of the Civic Center district...
where she received her master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in cultural
Cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation,...
and social anthropology
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
in 1999. She later attended the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center
Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center
Saybrook University, a San Francisco, California based 'distance learning' institution , is geared to providing a personalized, mentored educational experience for graduate students...
in San Francisco where she began her studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Career
Bermúdez ran for the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
as a Republican in California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district
California's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers a significant portion of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area...
in 2004. She ran against Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
James M. Eyer and Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate Barbara Lee
Barbara Lee
Barbara Jean Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She is the first woman to represent that district. Lee was the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and was the Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus...
. Bermúdez received 12.3% of the votes and lost to Lee.
Bermúdez is a former board member of the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society. She served on the Board of the Lakeside Drive Homeowners Association and is the current Chair of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly
Republican National Hispanic Assembly
The Republican National Hispanic Assembly is an American political organization founded in 1967 which seeks to promote Hispanic issues and interests within the Republican Party, and the Party's interests and candidates within the Hispanic population...
of Alameda County and President of the Alameda Republican Women, Federated.