Mario Taracena

Mario Taracena Díaz-Sol (born 6 May 1957) is a Guatemalan politician. He was President of the Congress of Guatemala from January 2016 to January 2017. Taracena started his political career in 1984 and since then has served multiple times in the Congress, as well as a term in the Central American Parliament.

Early life Taracena was born on 6 May 1957 in Guatemala City. He grew up in an economically well-off family. Both his father and grandfathers were involved in politics. His father was a founding member of the National Liberation Movement, as an opponent of Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes, he was exiled twice.

Mario Taracena followed a part of his education at the and later obtained a degree at the Faculty of Economics of the Rafael Landívar University.

Political career Taracena served in the Constituent Assembly of Guatemala between 1984 and 1986 for the Unión del Centro Nacional (UCN). Shortly after taking office Taracena stated that his main goal was to obtain reforms to the Ley Orgánica del Organismo Legislativo, so that public confidence in the Congress would be raised after having been lowered due to power abuse and corruption. He was succeeded by Óscar Chinchilla as President of the Congress on 14 January 2017.

Personal life Taracena is a Catholic. He is married and has three daughters and one son.