Gustavo Parajón

Gustavo Parajón was a Nicaraguan doctor and pastor, most known for his peacemaking efforts during the Contra War and his contributions to rural health care, vaccination campaigns, and disaster relief in Nicaragua.

Parajón attended Denison University, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health and earned a master's degree in Public Health before returning to Nicaragua.

He founded the Nicaragua Vaccination and Community Development Program (PROVADENIC) in 1967 PROVADENIC also trained locals in basic health practices to maintain prevention efforts. CEPAD facilitated disaster relief within four days, quickly became the largest relief organization in the country, and later expanded to other development programs. He hosted the American volunteers who came to Nicaragua as part of the Witness for Peace campaign and traveled with them and other peace commissions. He traveled unarmed, without bodyguards. Afterward, Parajón served as a citizen representative of Nicaragua during the discussions that led to the Esquipulas Peace Agreement.