New Presidency of Central America and Panama

From August 1, 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central America and Panama Area has new leadership. Elder Juan A. Uceda, Seventy General Authority has been called to serve as president of the Area together with Elder Jorge F. Zeballos as first counselor and Elder Valerí Cordón as second counselor.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is administered by geographic areas. Under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the area presidencies, composed of a president and two counselors, provide spiritual and administrative direction to the leaders and members of the Church who live in their areas. These are members of the Quorum of the Seventy and live in their assigned area.

Elder Juan A. Uceda was sustained as Seventy General Authority on April 3, 2010. When he was called as president of the Central America Area and Panama was serving as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. Previously, he served as counselor to the Presidency of the South American Northwest Area (2010-2013), president of the North American South American Area (2013-2016), deputy executive director of the Missionary Department, and as assistant to the Southeast North America Area.

Elder Uceda has expressed his feelings of serving as president of the Church in Central America and Panama and sends a message to the seven countries of the Area.

"For my wife and for me it is a great privilege to serve in Central America and Panama, a place chosen in the Vineyard of the Lord. Our greatest joy will be to know the Saints of the Church of these seven beautiful countries and to know their testimonies. Our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has invited us all to minister to THE SHEEP of the house of Israel. We come to join all the Saints (members of the Church) of Central America in the effort to minister to all those who have left the Church, all the new converts and all the Saints in general. All of them are in our prayers, as are all the inhabitants of this area for whom we also pray. "

Elder Juan Alberto Uceda Andrade was born in Lima, Peru, on July 10, 1953. In 1979 he married María Isabel Bendezú, with whom he had five children.

Elder Uceda received his academic training in Peru. He attended the José Carlos Mariátegui Institute, in Lima, where he studied accounting and public relations. He also studied business administration at the Instituto Centro Andino de G.E. He graduated from San Luis Gonzaga University, where he obtained a degree in public relations. Elder Uceda worked for the Educational System of the Church as Area Director for Peru and Bolivia. He left Peru in 2003 to move to New Jersey to help his father with a family business and when called as a General Authority he has dedicated himself to serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.