The Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (, or FLACSO) is a graduate-only university and inter-governmental autonomous organization for Latin America dedicated to research, teaching and spreading of social sciences. Headquartered in Costa Rica, it has several campuses and centers spread across Latin America. It was created on April 17, 1957, following a UNESCO initiative at the Latin American Conference on Social Sciences in Rio de Janeiro. Its goal was to promote academic research and development in the region. Its membership is open to Latin American and Caribbean countries that subscribe to the FLACSO agreement. Current members include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Uruguay. Josette Altmann Borbón, a historian and former First Lady of Costa Rica, was elected Secretary General of FLACSO in June 2016. She succeeded Manuel González on July 31, 2016. Notable people Carmen Diana Deere Ricardo Lagos Escobar Enrique Correa Fernando Henrique Cardoso Hilda Herzer Amparo Menendez-Carrion Juan Carlos Portantiero Suzana Prates Paolina Vercoutere - Governor of Imbabura Province References External links FLACSO In Spanish. Flacso - Argentina In Spanish Flacso - Brasil In Portuguese Flacso - Chile In Spanish Flacso - Costa Rica In Spanish Flacso - Cuba In Spanish Flacso - Ecuador In Spanish Flacso - El Salvador In Spanish Flacso - Guatemala In Spanish Flacso - México In Spanish Flacso - Panamá In Spanish Flacso - Paraguay In Spanish Flacso - República Dominicana In Spanish Flacso - Uruguay In Spanish Latin American Social Sciences Institute Social science institutes Members of the International Science Council