Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega Suárez

WCC president from the Caribbean/Latin America

Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega Suárez, of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba, was the first Presbyterian woman to be ordained in Cuba. She served as the rector of the Evangelical Theological…

WCC president from the Caribbean/Latin America

Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega Suárez, of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba, was the first Presbyterian woman to be ordained in Cuba. She served as the rector of the Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) in Matanzas from 1996-2004, leading it to a multi-faceted ministry of social service and community involvement. Ortega worked at the WCC from 1988 to 1996 as executive secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Programme on Theological Education, and before that, from 1985 to 1988, as professor at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey. In Cuba, beyond her responsibilities with the seminary, she served as volunteer in the rural areas during the national literacy campaign, as well as for the Ministry of Public Health.

Interview with Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega Suárez