Julio Acosta García facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julio Acosta García
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| 24th President of Costa Rica | |
| In office 8 May 1920 – 8 May 1924 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco Aguilar Barquero (interim president) |
| Succeeded by | Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (second term) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 23, 1872 San Ramón, Costa Rica |
| Died | July 6, 1954 (aged 82) |
| Political party | Constitutional Party |
Julio Acosta García (born May 23, 1872 – died July 6, 1954) was the 24th President of Costa Rica. He led the country from 1920 to 1924.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Julio Acosta García was born on May 23, 1872, in San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica. His parents were Jesús de la Rosa García Zumbado and Juan Vicente Acosta Chaves. His family had moved from San José to San Ramón, where his father worked in mining and farming.
Julio started his schooling in San José. He then went to a preparatory school called the University Institute of San José. He finished his high school education at the Colegio de San Luis Gonzaga in Cartago. From a young age, he was very interested in politics. In his twenties, he joined youth political groups. Later, he worked on a banana farm and served on a school board before starting his political career.
Starting a Career in Public Service
From 1902 to 1906, Julio Acosta was elected to represent the Alajuela Province in the Constitutional Congress. In 1907, he was sent to El Salvador to work as the Consul-General. This is a government official who helps citizens and promotes trade in another country.
In April 1910, he married María Natalia Elena Gallegos Rosales in San Salvador. Within two years, he became the resident minister in El Salvador. In 1915, Acosta returned to Costa Rica. He was appointed as the Secretary of State for Foreign Relations, Justice, Grace, and Worship. This important role meant he handled Costa Rica's relationships with other countries.
Solving Border Disputes
One big issue Acosta worked on was a border dispute with Panama. This problem had been going on since 1910, after Panama became independent from Colombia. The two countries agreed to let special judges, called arbiters, decide the border.
On the Atlantic side, the French arbiter gave some land from Costa Rica to Panama, and both countries accepted this. But on the Pacific side, the arbiter said Panama should give land to Costa Rica. Panama disagreed. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Edward Douglass White, then made a decision in 1914. This "White Ruling" confirmed that the Pacific territory should go to Costa Rica.
The issue was still not fully settled. In 1916, Acosta suggested that the United States should temporarily control the disputed area. This would allow engineers from both countries to map the border and find a solution. As foreign minister, Acosta traveled a lot. He was the first minister to visit all the countries in Central America officially.
Overthrow and Return to Politics
On January 27, 1917, Acosta lost his job as minister. This happened when brothers Federico Tinoco and Joaquín Tinoco led a coup d'état. A coup d'état is when a group suddenly and illegally takes power from the government.
Acosta and his family had to flee to his wife's parents' farm. He worked there as a farm manager. He also wrote for a newspaper, Diario del Salvador, about the problems in Costa Rica. In 1919, Tinoco was forced to leave office. After a temporary president, Acosta was invited back to Costa Rica.
On September 8, 1919, the Constitutional Party chose him as their candidate for president. He won the election on December 7 with 89% of the votes. He officially became the 24th President of Costa Rica on May 8, 1920.
Julio Acosta's Presidency (1920-1924)
As president, Julio Acosta was a Progressive leader. This means he wanted to make things better for the country and its people. He quickly worked to undo the harsh policies of the previous government. He promised to make elections fairer, solve border problems, and run a government without corruption.
He supported giving women the right to vote. He also started a pension program for military veterans. A pension is like a regular payment given to someone after they retire or serve. He wanted to fix the country's money problems and improve relations with the Pope.
During his time as president, several important things were created:
- The Costa Rican Academy of Language
- The Central Bank of Costa Rica
- An international cablegram service (a way to send messages across long distances)
New laws were also introduced to:
- Protect children.
- Control gambling.
- Reform insurance.
- Create the Police Corps.
- Improve teacher training and pensions.
- Make education free and required for all children aged 8 to 15.
Acosta's government also created the Public Health Board. This board expanded medical care, including for the poor.
International Relations and Central American Unity
Acosta wanted Costa Rica to join the League of Nations. This was an international group that aimed to prevent wars and promote peace. Costa Rica became a member on January 20, 1921.
He also suggested a plan to create a Federal Republic of Central America. This union would include Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Even though the other three countries approved the idea, the Costa Rican congress rejected it.
The Coto War of 1921
In February 1921, the border dispute with Panama started again. There were rumors that Panama was moving into the disputed territory. President Acosta sent troops to check. Panama reacted strongly, asking the United States for protection.
Celebrations for Panama's independence from Spain made people feel very nationalistic. The newspapers also made the border dispute worse. It quickly turned from a diplomatic talk into a military conflict. This was called the War of the Coto. It lasted from February 21 to March 5, 1921. Costa Rica invaded some Panamanian areas, and Panama's forces invaded a part of Costa Rica.
The United States sent warships, and the League of Nations asked for peaceful solutions. After many talks, the American arbiter demanded that Panama leave the Coto Region on August 23. This finally ended the conflict.
Later Career and Legacy
Julio Acosta's last message to Congress was on May 1, 1924. After his presidency, he and his family moved to Paris for three years. There, he worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He returned to Costa Rica in 1927 and continued working with the Red Cross until 1929. He then joined the Mortgage Credit Board. In 1932, he was elected as a deputy for San José in the Constitutional Congress, serving until 1936. He also served on the Board of the National Bank of Costa Rica until 1938. He was elected as a deputy for Congress again.
When his term ended in 1942, Acosta became the manager of the Social Security Fund. The next year, he became president of the National Civil Defense Board. In 1944, he was again appointed as Foreign Minister. During this time, he signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco in 1945 for Costa Rica. In May 1947, Acosta had a stroke and had to retire from his office.
Julio Acosta García died on July 6, 1954, in San José. He was buried in the General Cemetery after an official funeral. Many schools in Costa Rica are named in his honor. A monument was also built in his memory in Parque Morazán in San José.
See also
In Spanish: Julio Acosta García para niños
