United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Name Country Served
Alicia Bárcena Ibarra Mexico July 2008 - present
José Luis Machinea Argentina December 2003 - June 2008
José Antonio Ocampo Colombia January 1998 - August 2003
Gert Rosenthal Guatemala January 1988 - December 1997
Norberto González Argentina March 1985 - December 1987
Enrique V. Iglesias Uruguay April 1972 - February 1985
Carlos Quintana Mexico January 1967 - March 1972
José Antonio Mayobre Venezuela August 1963 - December 1966
Raúl Prebisch Argentina May 1950 - July 1963
Gustavo Martínez Cabañas Mexico December 1948 - April 1950
Executive Secretaries
The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, known as ECLAC, UNECLAC or in Spanish and Portuguese CEPAL, is a United Nations regional commission to encourage economic cooperation. ECLAC includes 46 member States (20 in Latin America, 13 in the Caribbean and 13 from outside the region), and 13 associate members which are various non-independent territories, associated island countries and a commonwealth in the Caribbean. ECLAC publishes statistics covering the countries of the region and makes cooperative agreements with nonprofit institutions. ECLAC's headquarters is in Santiago, Chile. ECLAC was established in 1948 as the UN Economic Commission for Latin America, or UNECLA. In 1984, a resolution was passed to include the countries of the Caribbean in the name. It reports to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).