List of presidents of Costa Rica facts for kids

This article tells you about the leaders of Costa Rica, from the time it became independent from Spain. These leaders are called "Heads of State" and "Presidents." From 1824 to 1838, Costa Rica was part of a bigger group of countries called the Federal Republic of Central America. After that, it became its own independent nation.

Early Leaders of Costa Rica (1824–1848)

Here are the first leaders of Costa Rica. They were called "Heads of State."

      Liberal Party       Conservative Party

No.	Leader's Name	Picture	Years in Office	Political Group	Important Notes
1	Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854)		1824–1833	Liberal	He served two terms in a row. He was re-elected in 1829.
2	José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850)		1833–1835	Conservative	He stepped down from his role. After him, Manuel Fernández Chacón and Nicolás Ulloa Soto served temporarily.
3	Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845)		1835–1837	Liberal	This was his first time as leader.
4	Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854)		March–April 1837	Liberal	He served for a short time as a temporary leader.
5	Manuel Aguilar Chacón (1797–1846)		1837–1838	Liberal	He was removed from power by force.
6	Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845)		1838–1842	Liberal	This was his second time as leader. He was also removed from power by force.
7	Francisco Morazán (1792–1842)		April–September 1842	Liberal	He was removed from power by a public uprising and later lost his life on September 15, 1842.
8	António Pinto Soares (1780–1865)		September 1842	Liberal	He became leader during a public uprising but quickly stepped down.
9	José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1865)		1842–1844	Liberal	This was his first time as leader, serving temporarily.
10	Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla (1801–1856)		November–December 1844	Liberal	He was removed from power by force.
11	José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850)		1845–1846	Conservative
12	José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1856)		1846–1847	Liberal	This was his second time as leader.
13	José Castro Madriz (1818–1892)		1847–1848	Liberal

Presidents of Costa Rica (1848 to Today)

Since 1848, the leaders of Costa Rica have been called "Presidents."

      Liberal Party       Conservative Party       Military Rule       Peliquista Party       Republican Party       National Republican Party       National Union Party       National Liberation Party       Social Christian Unity Party       Citizens' Action Party       Social Democratic Progress Party       Sovereign People's Party

No.	President (Born–Died)		Years in Office		Political Group	Election Year	Important Notes
1	José María Castro Madriz (1818–1892)		31 August 1848	16 November 1849	Non-partisan Liberal	1847	He is known as the "Founder of the Republic."
*	Miguel Mora Porras (1816–1887)		16 November 1849	26 November 1849	Non-partisan Liberal		He was a temporary president.
2	Juan Mora Porras (1814–1860)		26 November 1849	14 August 1859	Non-partisan Liberal	1849 1853 1859	He served three terms.
3	José María Montealegre Fernández (1815–1887)		14 August 1859	8 May 1863	Non-partisan Liberal	1860	He was a temporary leader from 1859–1860 before being elected.
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	This was his second term. He was removed from power by force.
6	Jesús Jiménez Zamora (1823–1897)		1 November 1868	27 April 1870	Military	De facto	This was his second term. He ruled without being formally elected.
7	Bruno Carranza Ramírez (1822–1891)		27 April 1870	8 August 1870	Non-partisan Liberal		He was chosen by Tomás Guardia as a temporary president. He stepped down after a few months.
8	Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez (1831–1882)		10 August 1870	8 May 1876	Non-partisan Liberal	1872	He was a temporary leader from 1870–1872, then elected.
9	Aniceto Esquivel Sáenz (1824–1898)		8 May 1876	30 July 1876	Non-partisan Liberal	1876	He was removed from power by force.
10	Vicente Herrera Zeledón (1821–1888)		30 July 1876	11 September 1877	Non-partisan Conservative		He was chosen by Guardia.
11	Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez (1831–1882)		11 September 1877	6 July 1882	Non-partisan Liberal		This was his second time as leader. He passed away while in office.
12	Saturnino Lizano Gutiérrez (1826–1905)		6 July 1882	20 July 1882	Non-partisan Liberal		He was a temporary president.
13	Próspero Fernández Oreamuno (1834–1885)		20 July 1882	12 March 1885	Non-partisan Liberal	1882	He passed away while in office.
14	Bernardo Soto Alfaro (1854–1931)		12 March 1885	8 May 1890	Non-partisan Liberal	1886	He served two terms. Carlos Durán Cartín was a temporary president from 1889–1890.
15	José Rodríguez Zeledón (1837–1917)		8 May 1890	8 May 1894	Constitutional Democratic	1889
16	Rafael Yglesias Castro (1861–1924)		8 May 1894	8 May 1902	Civil	1894 1897	He served two terms.
17	Ascensión Esquivel Ibarra (1844–1923)		8 May 1902	8 May 1906	National Union	1902
18	Cleto González Víquez (1858–1937)		8 May 1906	8 May 1910	National	1906	This was his first term.
19	Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (1859–1945)		8 May 1910	8 May 1914	Republican	1910	This was his first term. He was the son of Jesús Jiménez Zamora.
20	Alfredo González Flores (1877–1962)		8 May 1914	27 January 1917	Republican	He was chosen by Congress because no clear winner emerged in the 1913 election.	He ruled without being formally elected. He was removed from power by Tinoco in 1917.
21	Federico Tinoco Granados (1868–1931)		27 January 1917	13 August 1919	Peliquista	He took power after a forceful takeover and was the only candidate in the 1917 election.	He served two terms. He was overthrown by a public uprising.
22	Juan Quirós Segura (1853–1934)		13 August 1919	2 September 1919	Peliquista	De facto	He was the Vice President and took over after Tinoco left. The U.S. government made him step down.
23	Francisco Aguilar Barquero (1857–1924)		2 September 1919	8 May 1920	Republican		He was a temporary 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	This was his second term.
26	Cleto González Víquez (1858–1937)		8 May 1928	8 May 1932	National Union	1928	This was his second term.
27	Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (1859–1945)		8 May 1932	8 May 1936	National Republican	1932	This was his 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
*	Santos León Herrera (1874–1950)		20 April 1948	8 May 1948	National Republican		He was a temporary president. He was the former vice-president to Teodoro Picado Michalski.
*	José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990)		8 May 1948	8 November 1949	Social Democratic	De facto	He came to power after the Costa Rican Civil War. He gave power back to an elected president after reorganizing 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	This was his second term. At this time, presidents could not be re-elected right away.
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	This was his third term. Presidential re-election was still not allowed right away.
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	He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. This was his first term.
41	Rafael Calderón Fournier (born 1949)		8 May 1990	8 May 1994	Social Christian Unity	1990	He is the son of Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia.
42	José Figueres Olsen (born 1954)		8 May 1994	8 May 1998	National Liberation	1994	He is the 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	The rule allowing presidential re-election was brought back.
45	Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940)		8 May 2006	8 May 2010	National Liberation	2006	This was his second term.
46	Laura Chinchilla Miranda (born 1959)		8 May 2010	8 May 2014	National Liberation	2010	She was the first female president of Costa Rica.
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	He was the youngest president since Alfredo González Flores (1914). He was the first president to be called by Congress for a hearing.
49	Rodrigo Chaves Robles (born 1961)		8 May 2022	8 May 2026	Social Democratic Progress	2022
50	Laura Fernández Delgado (born 1986)		8 May 2026	Incumbent (Her term ends on 8 May 2030)	Sovereign People's	2026	She is the second female president of Costa Rica.

Timeline of Costa Rican Leaders

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes de Costa Rica para niños