Self-Ownership, Natural Rights, Estoppel (CEES Guatemala 2025)

by Stephan Kinsella on April 22, 2025

Earlier this month I attended and spoke at the APEE 49th Meeting in Guatemala City and had a great time. ¹ The APEE Annual Meetings alternate between Las Vegas and other cities, sometimes in the US, sometimes in other countries. It’s been held in the past in Guatemala because of its connection to the Universidad Francisco Marroquín (where my old friend Bill Marina ² used to teach), but apparently it’s been over 10 years since it was held there. Most of the meeting was held at the Westin Camino Real, just a couple miles from UFM, but the opening reception and dinner was held at UFM.

As I mentioned previously, ³ the CEES (Centro de Estudios Económico-Sociales; see UFM page), a group affiliated with Universidad Francisco Marroquín and in fact started by Manuel Ayau, who also founded UFM, ⁴ holds a monthly colloquium with UFM and other local students and members to discuss a book or work, normally on a Saturday night. The impression I get is that CEES was originally founded as very classical liberal and libertarian but nowadays has a lot of members interested in Rothbard, Hoppe, Austro-libertarianism, and so on. They sent me a very kind invitation to lead a discussion on the Monday night of my APEE talk (April 7), on the topic of self-ownership and natural rights, based on “How We Come To Own Ourselves,” chapter 4 of my recent book. ⁵

I was not sure of the format so had not prepared a talk, but when asked to lecture, I did so, and went on for about 45 minutes until I was told it was time. The talk was not recorded and I did not think to record it myself because I didn’t realize I would be lecturing, but I believe it went over well and the students enjoyed it. The long Q&A afterwards was intense and interesting. I had long talks with many of the participants before and after. And I was shown amazing hospitality.

I thoroughly enjoyed the event and as I later wrote the CEES director, Pedro Pablo Velásquez, and Julio Cole, who had suggested I present on IP at the APEE event:

I am back home in Houston.

Even though I had a short stay, I really enjoyed the APEE event. I don’t know how I was so oblivious about APEE all these years. Seems like such a good group. Although I’m not an economist I was surprised to find many people I already knew or knew of there, and got to make some new acquaintances as well.

… I also thoroughly enjoyed participating in Pablo’s CEES Colloquium Monday night. Great people and students. The hospitality I was shown and the devotion to and interest in the ideas of freedom blew me away. I was very touched and moved, inspired even. I return home to Houston with my intellectual batteries and energies recharged.

All in all, a great trip.

I conclude with some Tweets, instagram posts, and photos. What a pleasure to be around people with such enthusiasm for liberty and ideas; compared to this, my (much larger) home town of Houston seems like an intellectual wasteland!

El lunes voy a conocer a Stephan Kinsella en un seminario sobre Ética de la Argumentación y propiedad que va a durar una semana pic.twitter.com/izq53wlRrT

— MⒶrtin Cabrera 🏴🐍🇦🇹 (@MartinCabreraGR) March 31, 2025

Talking about freedom and our rights never felt more liberating! Thanks for everything to the greatest libertarian @NSKinsella pic.twitter.com/H6s7vS0TMZ

— Laura Rangel (@Laurangel24) April 8, 2025

Ayer tuvimos el privilegio de escuchar a @NSKinsella, referente en filosofía del derecho desde una perspectiva libertaria. La charla fue sobre el principio de propiedad de uno mismo.

Gracias @CEES_gt y @MovLibertarioGT 🤩 pic.twitter.com/GfplzeNEsX

— Mar🩰 (@marjp_23) April 8, 2025