Earned a Master’s degree in economics from Costa Rica and a Law Degree (J.D.)
from El
Salvador. In El Salvador he was a law professor at the National University,
writer, political
analyst, human rights advocator and investigator for the Archbishop office of
San Salvador as
well as refugee issues advisor for the Jesuit Refugee Service, El Salvador.

In Canada, Mr. Rico-Martinez is currently co-director of FCJ Refugee Centre which
strives to
meet the diverse needs of uprooted people, particularly refugee claimants and
non-status
people. In addition Mr. Rico-Martinez is past-president of the Canadian Council
for Refugees
(CCR) and also was member of Immigration and Refugee Law Advisory Committee of
Legal
Aid.

Mr. Rico-Martinez is the recipient of the 2001City of Toronto William P. Hubbard
Race
Relations Award and the 2006 YMCA Peace Medallion Award.

Mr. Rico-Martinez has a long history of refugee advocacy and volunteer activity
on behalf of
victims of human rights violations, particularly refugees. He also has a number
of publications
regarding refugee and human rights issues.