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 Costa Ricaportal |
The following article lists the presidents and heads of state of Costa Rica since Central American independence from Spain. From 1824 to 1838 Costa Rica was a state within the Federal Republic of Central America; since then it has been an independent nation.
Liberal Conservative
| No. | Head of State | Portrait | Term of Office | Political Affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854) |  | 1824–1833 | Liberal | Two consecutive terms; re-elected in 1829. |
| 2 | José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850) |  | 1833–1835 | Conservative | Resigned, Manuel Fernández Chacón and Nicolás Ulloa Soto followed as acting Heads of State. |
| 3 | Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845) |  | 1835–1837 | Liberal | First term. |
| 4 | Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854) | | March–April 1837 | Liberal | Provisional. |
| 5 | Manuel Aguilar Chacón (1797–1846) |  | 1837–1838 | Liberal | Deposed in a coup d'état. |
| 6 | Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845) | | 1838–1842 | Liberal | Second term. Deposed in a coup d'état. |
| 7 | Francisco Morazán (1792–1842) |  | April–September 1842 | Liberal | Deposed by popular uprising; executed on 15 September 1842. |
| 8 | António Pinto Soares (1780–1865) |  | September 1842 | Liberal | Came to power in popular uprising, and quickly resigned. |
| 9 | José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1865) |  | 1842–1844 | Liberal | First term. Provisional. |
| 10 | Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla (1801–1856) |  | November–December 1844 | Liberal | Deposed in a coup d'état. |
| 11 | José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850) | | 1845–1846 | Conservative | |
| 12 | José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1856) | | 1846–1847 | Liberal | Second term. |
| 13 | José Castro Madriz (1818–1892) |  | 1847–1848 | Liberal |
Liberal Conservative Military PP PR PRN PUN PLN PUSC PAC PPSD
| No. | President (Birth–Death) | Term of Office | Political Affiliation | Election | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José María Castro Madriz (1818–1892) | | 31 August 1848 [1] | 16 November 1849 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1847 | "Founder of the Republic". |
| (1) | Miguel Mora Porras (1816–1887) |  | 16 November 1849 | 26 November 1849 | Non-partisan Liberal | Interim president. | |
| 2 | Juan Mora Porras (1814–1860) |  | 26 November 1849 | 14 August 1859 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1849 1853 1859 | First, second and third term. |
| 3 | José María Montealegre Fernández (1815–1887) |  | 14 August 1859 | 8 May 1863 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1860 | Provisional 1859–1860. |
| 4 | Jesús Jiménez Zamora (1823–1897) |  | 8 May 1863 | 8 May 1866 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1863 | |
| 5 | José Castro Madriz (1818–1892) | | 8 May 1866 | 1 November 1868 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1866 | Second term. Deposed in a coup d'état. |
| 6 | Jesús Jiménez Zamora (1823–1897) | | 1 November 1868 | 27 April 1870 | Military | De facto | Second term. |
| 7 | Bruno Carranza Ramírez (1822–1891) |  | 27 April 1870 | 8 August 1870 | Non-partisan Liberal | Appointed by Tomás Guardia as provisional president. Resigned after a few months. | |
| 8 | Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez (1831–1882) |  | 10 August 1870 | 8 May 1876 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1872 | Provisional 1870–1872, latter elected. |
| 9 | Aniceto Esquivel Sáenz (1824–1898) |  | 8 May 1876 | 30 July 1876 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1876 | Deposed in a coup d'état. |
| 10 | Vicente Herrera Zeledón (1821–1888) |  | 30 July 1876 | 11 September 1877 | Non-partisan Conservative | Appointed by Guardia. | |
| 11 | Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez (1831–1882) | | 11 September 1877 | 6 July 1882 | Non-partisan Liberal | Second term as de facto ruler. Died in office. | |
| 12 | Saturnino Lizano Gutiérrez (1826–1905) |  | 6 July 1882 | 20 July 1882 | Non-partisan Liberal | Acting president. | |
| 13 | Próspero Fernández Oreamuno (1834–1885) |  | 20 July 1882 | 12 March 1885 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1882 | Died in office. |
| 14 | Bernardo Soto Alfaro (1854–1931) |  | 12 March 1885 | 8 May 1890 | Non-partisan Liberal | 1886 | Two consecutive terms, the first incomplete. Carlos Durán Cartín was acting president 1889–1890. |
| 15 | José Rodríguez Zeledón (1837–1917) |  | 8 May 1890 | 8 May 1894 | Constitutional | 1889 | |
| 16 | Rafael Yglesias Castro (1861–1924) |  | 8 May 1894 | 8 May 1902 | Civil | 1893 | First and second term. |
| 17 | Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra (1844–1923) |  | 8 May 1902 | 8 May 1906 | National Union | 1901 | |
| 18 | Cleto González Víquez (1858–1937) |  | 8 May 1906 | 8 May 1910 | National | 1905 | First term. |
| 19 | Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (1859–1945) |  | 8 May 1910 | 8 May 1914 | Republican | 1909 | First term. Son of Jesús Jiménez Zamora. |
| 20 | Alfredo González Flores (1877–1962) |  | 8 May 1914 | 27 January 1917 | Republican | Designated by Congress as no clear candidate won in 1913 | De facto Deposed by Tinoco in a coup d'état. |
| 21 | Federico Tinoco Granados (1868–1931) |  | 27 January 1917 | 13 August 1919 | Peliquista | Took power after coup, was sole candidate in the 1917 election | First and second term. Overthrown by popular uprising. |
| 22 | Juan Quirós Segura (1853–1934) |  | 13 August 1919 | 2 September 1919 | Peliquista | De facto | Previously Vice President. Replaced Tinoco after his escape. Forced to resign by the U.S. government. |
| 23 | Francisco Aguilar Barquero (1857–1924) |  | 2 September 1919 | 8 May 1920 | Republican | Interim president. | |
| 24 | Julio Acosta García (1872–1954) |  | 8 May 1920 | 8 May 1924 | Constitutional | 1919 | |
| 25 | Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (1859–1945) | | 8 May 1924 | 8 May 1928 | Republican | 1923 | Second term. |
| 26 | Cleto González Víquez (1858–1937) | | 8 May 1928 | 8 May 1932 | National Union | 1928 | Second term. |
| 27 | Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (1859–1945) | | 8 May 1932 | 8 May 1936 | National Republican | 1932 | Third term. |
| 28 | León Cortés Castro (1882–1946) |  | 8 May 1936 | 8 May 1940 | National Republican | 1936 | |
| 29 | Rafael Calderón Guardia (1900–1970) |  | 8 May 1940 | 8 May 1944 | National Republican | 1940 | |
| 30 | Teodoro Picado Michalski (1900–1960) |  | 8 May 1944 | 20 April 1948 | National Republican | 1944 | |
| (31a) | Santos León Herrera (1874–1950) |  | 20 April 1948 | 8 May 1948 | National Republican | Interim president. Former vice-president of Teodoro Picado Michalski. | |
| (31b) | José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990) |  | 8 May 1948 | 8 November 1949 | Social Democratic | De facto | Came to power in the Civil War. Returned power to elected president after re-organizing the government. |
| 31 | Otilio Ulate Blanco (1891–1973) |  | 8 November 1949 | 8 November 1953 | National Union | 1948 | |
| 32 | José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990) | | 8 November 1953 | 8 May 1958 | National Liberation | 1953 | Second term. Presidential re-election disallowed. |
| 33 | Mario Echandi Jiménez (1915–2011) |  | 8 May 1958 | 8 May 1962 | National Union | 1958 | |
| 34 | Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich (1907–1969) |  | 8 May 1962 | 8 May 1966 | National Liberation | 1962 | |
| 35 | José Trejos Fernández (1916–2010) |  | 8 May 1966 | 8 May 1970 | National Unification | 1966 | |
| 36 | José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990) | | 8 May 1970 | 8 May 1974 | National Liberation | 1970 | Third term. Presidential re-election disallowed. |
| 37 | Daniel Oduber Quirós (1921–1991) |  | 8 May 1974 | 8 May 1978 | National Liberation | 1974 | |
| 38 | Rodrigo Carazo Odio (1926–2009) |  | 8 May 1978 | 8 May 1982 | Unity Coalition | 1978 | |
| 39 | Luis Monge Álvarez (1925–2016) |  | 8 May 1982 | 8 May 1986 | National Liberation | 1982 | |
| 40 | Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940) |  | 8 May 1986 | 8 May 1990 | National Liberation | 1986 | Nobel Peace Prize winner (1987). First term. |
| 41 | Rafael Calderón Fournier (born 1949) |  | 8 May 1990 | 8 May 1994 | Social Christian Unity | 1990 | Son of Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia. |
| 42 | José Figueres Olsen (born 1954) |  | 8 May 1994 | 8 May 1998 | National Liberation | 1994 | Son of José Figueres Ferrer. |
| 43 | Miguel Rodríguez Echeverría (born 1940) |  | 8 May 1998 | 8 May 2002 | Social Christian Unity | 1998 | |
| 44 | Abel Pacheco de la Espriella (born 1933) |  | 8 May 2002 | 8 May 2006 | Social Christian Unity | 2002 | Presidential re-election re-instated. |
| 45 | Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940) |  | 8 May 2006 | 8 May 2010 | National Liberation | 2006 | Second term. |
| 46 | Laura Chinchilla Miranda (born 1959) |  | 8 May 2010 | 8 May 2014 | National Liberation | 2010 | First female president of Costa Rica. [2] |
| 47 | Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera (born 1958) |  | 8 May 2014 | 8 May 2018 | Citizens' Action | 2014 | |
| 48 | Carlos Alvarado Quesada (born 1980) |  | 8 May 2018 | 8 May 2022 | Citizens' Action | 2018 | Youngest president since Alfredo González Flores (1914).First president to be called by Congress for hearing. |
| 49 | Rodrigo Chaves Robles (born 1961) |  | 8 May 2022 | Incumbent (Term ends on 8 May 2026) | Social Democratic Progress | 2022 | Incumbent |
The politics of Costa Rica take place in a framework of a presidential, representative democratic republic, with a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the president and their cabinet, and the President of Costa Rica is both the head of state and head of government. Legislative power is vested in the Legislative Assembly. The president and 57 Legislative Assembly deputies are elected for four-year terms. The judiciary operates independent of the executive and the legislature but remains involved in the political process. Costa Rica is a republic with a strong system of constitutional checks and balances. Voting is compulsory in Costa Rica but it is not enforced.
The Libertarian Movement Party is a political party based on libertarian conservatism in Costa Rica. It was founded in May 1994. After an important protagonism during early 2000s with its perennial nominee Otto Guevara among the main candidates and reaching third place in 2006 and 2010, it was affected by several corruption scandals and lack of funds, the party gradually suffered a debacle in 2014 ending in fourth on the presidential ticket, and fifth in Parliament. Later losing all its mayors in the mid-term local election of 2016, to finally having bad results in 2018 with Guevara's candidacy reaching only 1% of support and losing all seats in Congress.
Central America is commonly said to include Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. This definition matches modern political borders. Central America begins geographically in Mexico, at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico's narrowest point, and the former country of Yucatán (1841–1848) was part of Central America. At the other end, before its independence in 1903 Panama was part of South America, as it was a Department of Colombia. At times Belize, a British colony until 1981, where English instead of Spanish is spoken, and where the population is primarily of African origin, has been considered not part of (Spanish-speaking) Central America.
The Federal Republic of Central America was a sovereign state south of Mexico which existed from 1823 to 1841. Originally known as the United Provinces of Central America, the democratic republic was composed of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain.
José Francisco Morazán Quesada was a liberal Central American politician who served as president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1830 to 1839. Before he was president of Central America he was the head of state of Honduras. He rose to prominence at the Battle of La Trinidad on November 11, 1827. Morazán then dominated the political and military scene of Central America until his execution in 1842.
José Santos Zelaya López was the President of Nicaragua from 25 July 1893 to 21 December 1909.
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría is a Costa Rican economist, lawyer, businessman and politician who served as President of Costa Rica from 1998 to 2002. He was minister of planning from 1968 to 1970 and minister of the presidency in 1970 during the administration of Jose Joaquin Trejos Fernandez ; member of the board of the Costa Rican Central Bank from 1966 to 1969; congressman from 1990 to 1993, serving as president of the Legislative Assembly during the 1991 to 1992 period; and was elected Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2004. He voluntarily stepped down from this post to return to his country to face allegations of financial wrongdoing during his presidential tenure in Costa Rica. On April 27 of 2011 he was sentenced to 5 years in prison, but this ruling was later reversed in a December 2012 decision by an appeals court, which found him innocent of all charges.
The National Liberation Party, nicknamed the verdiblancos, is a political party in Costa Rica. The party is a member of the Socialist International. Social-democratic by statute, the party has a few internal factions, including liberals, Third Way supporters, centrists, and social conservatives.
The Filibuster War or Walker affair was a military conflict between filibustering multinational troops stationed in Nicaragua and a coalition of Central American armies. An American mercenary William Walker invaded Nicaragua in 1855 with a small private army. He seized control of the country by 1856, but was ousted the following year.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Costa Rica have evolved significantly in the past decades. Same-sex sexual relations have been legal since 1971. In January 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights made mandatory the approbation of same-sex marriage, adoption for same-sex couples and the removal of people's sex from all Costa Rican ID cards issued since October 2018. The Costa Rican Government announced that it would apply the rulings in the following months. In August 2018, the Costa Rican Supreme Court ruled against the country's same-sex marriage ban, and gave the Legislative Assembly 18 months to reform the law accordingly, otherwise the ban would be abolished automatically. Same-sex marriage became legal on 26 May 2020.
Carlos Salazar Castro was a Central American military officer and Liberal politician. Briefly in 1834 he was provisional president of El Salvador, and in 1839 he was provisional president of Guatemala.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Costa Rica, with Roman Catholicism being its largest denomination. Roman Catholicism is also the state religion, but the government generally upholds people's religious freedom in practice.
Laura Chinchilla Miranda is a Costa Rican political scientist and politician who served as President of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014. She was one of Óscar Arias Sánchez's two Vice-Presidents and his administration's Minister of Justice. She was the governing PLN candidate for president in the 2010 general election, where she won with 46.76% of the vote on 7 February. She was the eighth woman president of a Latin American country and the first woman to become President of Costa Rica. She was sworn in as President of Costa Rica on 8 May 2010.
Lorenzo Montúfar y Rivera was a Guatemalan politician and lawyer. Superb leader and speaker, helped the liberal regime of Justo Rufino Barrios, served in the Guatemalan legislature, taught in the College of Law of the Universidad Nacional de Guatemala and, towards the end of his life, was a presidential candidate himself losing to general José María Reyna Barrios. He was also Foreign Secretary of Costa Rica in 1856 and from 1870 to 1873, and President of University of Saint Thomas, also in Costa Rica.
The 1889 Costa Rican general election was held between 7 October 1889 and 1 December 1889. It was particularly notorious for been the first time in Costa Rica's history that political parties took part in an election. The date of November 7 is still commemorated in Costa Rica as "Democracy's Day" due to the outcome of the liberal government accepting the results of the conservative opposition, as to that point, authoritarian governments were the norm.
The First Costa Rican Republic is the name given to the historical period between the proclamation of the Republic of Costa Rica in the 1848 reformed Constitution and the official decree by then President José María Castro Madriz on 31 August 1848 and the Costa Rican Civil War of 1948 which ended with the enactment of the current 1949 Constitution on 7 November 1949 starting the Second Costa Rican Republic.
Liberalism in Costa Rica is a political philosophy with a long and complex history. Liberals were the hegemonic political group for most of Costa Rica's history especially during the periods of the Free State and the First Republic, however, as the liberal model exhausted itself and new more left-wing reformist movements clashed during the Costa Rican Civil War liberalism was relegated to a secondary role after the Second Costa Rican Republic with the development of Costa Rica's Welfare State and its two-party system controlled by social-democratic and Christian democratic parties.
The Reform State or Reformist State is a period in Costa Rican history characterized by the change in political and economic paradigm switching from the uncontrolled capitalism and laissez faire of the Liberal State into a more economically progressive Welfare State. The period ranges from approximately 1940 starting with the presidency of social reformer Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia and ends around the 1980s with the first neoliberal and Washington Consensus reforms that began after the government of Luis Alberto Monge.
