Santiago Hernán Vásquez is a multi-talented individual, born on July 24, 1964, in the city of Cumaná, Sucre State, northeast Venezuela, to a mother from Margarita Island, the largest island in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, and a stepfather from Sicily, Italy, who later immigrated to Venezuela.
At the age of 18, Vásquez immigrated to the United States of America, where he got involved in independent films in the Kansas City area. He began his film career as a leading actor in two short films, "First Date" and "The Grass Grows Green", both of which gained recognition at prestigious film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW.
Vásquez is a martial arts expert with over 40 years of experience. He is the founder of Chago Karate International and holds multiple black belts in various martial arts disciplines, including Karate, Shorin Kempo, and Hana Dai Ichi Karate. He has trained in Japan at Akiyama Dojo and Miyano Dojo.
In addition to his martial arts background, Vásquez has a strong educational foundation, having received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baker University School of Business, an Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts from Brookdale Community College, and a certification in law enforcement from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Training Academy. He has 27 years of experience in law enforcement.
Vásquez is fluent in both Spanish and English and enjoys writing poetry and painting in his spare time. He is proud of his Venezuelan cultural heritage and is also proud to be a Citizen of the United States of America.
