List of presidents of Costa Rica facts for kids

This article tells you about the leaders of Costa Rica, from when it became independent from Spain. From 1824 to 1838, Costa Rica was part of a larger 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)

These are the people who led Costa Rica before it officially became a republic with a president. They were called "Heads of State."

      Liberal       Conservative

Number	Leader	Picture	Time in Office	Political Group	Notes
1	Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854)		1824–1833	Liberal	Served two times in a row.
2	José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850)		1833–1835	Conservative	He stepped down.
3	Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845)		1835–1837	Liberal	First time as leader.
4	Juan Mora Fernández (1784–1854)		March–April 1837	Liberal	Temporary leader.
5	Manuel Aguilar Chacón (1797–1846)		1837–1838	Liberal	Removed from power.
6	Braulio Carrillo Colina (1800–1845)		1838–1842	Liberal	Second time as leader. Removed from power.
7	Francisco Morazán (1792–1842)		April–September 1842	Liberal	Removed by the people and executed.
8	António Pinto Soares (1780–1865)		September 1842	Liberal	Became leader during a public uprising, then quickly resigned.
9	José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1865)		1842–1844	Liberal	First time. Temporary leader.
10	Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla (1801–1856)		November–December 1844	Liberal	Removed from power.
11	José Rafael Gallegos (1784–1850)		1845–1846	Conservative
12	José María Alfaro Zamora (1799–1856)		1846–1847	Liberal	Second time.
13	José Castro Madriz (1818–1892)		1847–1848	Liberal

Presidents of Costa Rica (1848–Present)

Since 1848, the leader of Costa Rica has been called the "President."

      Liberal       Conservative       Military       PP       PR       PRN       PUN       PLN       PUSC       PAC       PPSD

Number	President (Born–Died)		Time in Office		Political Group	Election	Notes
1	José María Castro Madriz (1818–1892)		31 August 1848	16 November 1849	Non-partisan Liberal	1847	Known as the "Founder of the Republic."
(1)	Miguel Mora Porras (1816–1887)		16 November 1849	26 November 1849	Non-partisan Liberal		Temporary president.
2	Juan Mora Porras (1814–1860)		26 November 1849	14 August 1859	Non-partisan Liberal	1849 1853 1859	Served three terms.
3	José María Montealegre Fernández (1815–1887)		14 August 1859	8 May 1863	Non-partisan Liberal	1860	Temporary leader from 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. Removed from power.
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 as temporary president. Resigned quickly.
8	Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez (1831–1882)		10 August 1870	8 May 1876	Non-partisan Liberal	1872	Temporary from 1870–1872, then elected.
9	Aniceto Esquivel Sáenz (1824–1898)		8 May 1876	30 July 1876	Non-partisan Liberal	1876	Removed from power.
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 time as leader. 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	Served two terms.
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	Served two terms.
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	Chosen by Congress.	Removed from power in a coup.
21	Federico Tinoco Granados (1868–1931)		27 January 1917	13 August 1919	Peliquista	Took power after a coup.	Removed by the people.
22	Juan Quirós Segura (1853–1934)		13 August 1919	2 September 1919	Peliquista	De facto	Forced to resign by the U.S. government.
23	Francisco Aguilar Barquero (1857–1924)		2 September 1919	8 May 1920	Republican		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	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		Temporary president.
(31b)	José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990)		8 May 1948	8 November 1949	Social Democratic	De facto	Took power after the Civil War.
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.
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.
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	Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 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
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.
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).
49	Rodrigo Chaves Robles (born 1961)		8 May 2022	Incumbent (Term ends on 8 May 2026)	Social Democratic Progress	2022	He is the current president.

Timeline of Leaders

This timeline shows when each leader served. Different colors represent different political groups.

More Information

• List of presidents of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
• List of presidents of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes de Costa Rica para niños