List of presidents of Costa Rica

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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.

Heads of state of Costa Rica (1824–1848)[edit]

  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

Presidents of Costa Rica (1848–present)[edit]

  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

Timeline[edit]

Rodrigo Chaves RoblesCarlos Alvarado QuesadaLuis Guillermo SolísLaura ChinchillaAbel Pacheco de la EspriellaMiguel Rodríguez EcheverríaJosé Figueres OlsenRafael Calderón FournierÓscar AriasLuis Monge ÁlvarezRodrigo Carazo OdioDaniel Oduber QuirósJosé Trejos FernándezFrancisco Orlich BolmarcichMario Echandi JiménezOtilio Ulate BlancoJosé Figueres FerrerSantos León HerreraTeodoro Picado MichalskiRafael Calderón GuardiaLeón Cortés CastroJulio Acosta GarcíaFrancisco Aguilar BarqueroJuan Quirós SeguraFederico Tinoco GranadosAlfredo González FloresRicardo Jiménez OreamunoCleto González VíquezAscensión Esquivel IbarraRafael Yglesias CastroJosé Rodríguez ZeledónBernardo Soto AlfaroPróspero Fernández OreamunoSaturnino Lizano GutiérrezVicente Herrera ZeledónAniceto Esquivel SáenzTomás Guardia GutiérrezBruno Carranza RamírezJesús Jiménez ZamoraJosé María Montealegre FernándezJuan Mora PorrasMiguel Mora PorrasJosé María Castro MadrizFrancisco María Oreamuno BonillaJosé María Alfaro ZamoraAntónio Pinto SoaresFrancisco MorazánManuel Aguilar ChacónBraulio Carrillo ColinaJosé Rafael GallegosJuan Mora Fernández

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ El Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones: Presidentes de la República de Costa Rica
  2. ^ "Costa Rica's new president: After Arias: Tax increases, trade deals and antidisestablishmentarianism". The Economist. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.