Leobardo Valera Marquez is a junior at The University of Texas at El Paso, majoring in political science with a minor in legal reasoning. Valera, who was born in Caracas, Venezuela, became passionate about politics early in life, envisioning a free and democratic Venezuela. He moved to the United States in 2013 with his family and now aims to serve and improve the lives of the American people who welcomed him, while also supporting Venezuelan immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States. To prepare for this higher calling, Valera participated in the El Paso Mock Trial Association and, in the summer of 2024, worked at U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar’s (TX-16) campaign office as a Frontera Fellow. Additionally, he has worked for family lawyers in El Paso, expanding his legal knowledge. He hopes to practice law before entering politics.