óscar arias sánchez (born 13 september 1940 in heredia, costa rica) is a costa rican activist and nobel peace prize laureate. he was president of costa rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010. he received the nobel peace prize in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars in central america. he is also a winner of the albert schweitzer prize for humanitarianism and a trustee of economists for peace and security.