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Vice President of Costa Rica facts for kids

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Vice Presidents of the
Republic of Costa Rica
Coat of arms of Costa Rica.svg
Coat of arms of Costa Rica
Incumbent
Stephan Brunner and Mary Munive
since 8 May 2022
Term length Four years term, renewable non-consecutively
Inaugural holder Alberto Oreamuno Flores
Formation 7 November 1949

In Costa Rica, the Vice Presidents are important leaders who help the President. Since 1949, the country has had two Vice Presidents. They are chosen by the people in an election, at the same time as the President. They serve for four years and cannot be re-elected right away.

The main job of the Vice Presidents is to step in if the President is away or cannot do their job. This could be for a short time or permanently. Vice Presidents can also be asked to lead different government departments, called ministries, as part of the President's team.

A Quick Look at History

Costa Rica has changed how it handles the role of a Vice President over time. Before 1949, different titles and ways of choosing these leaders were used. Here's a simple timeline:

  • Early Days (1821-1848): In the very beginning, committees or "heads of state" chose a "vice-president" or "vice-head-of-state." Sometimes, the people voted for them.
  • Vice-Presidents of the Republic (1848-1859): For a short time, the country had a "Vice-President of the Republic" who was elected by the people.
  • Designates to the Presidency (1859-1949): For a long period, instead of Vice Presidents, the country used a system of "designates." These were people chosen by the country's law-making group (the legislature) to take over if the President couldn't serve. The number of designates changed over the years, sometimes two, sometimes more.
  • Modern Vice Presidents (Since 1949): After 1949, the current system was set up. Now, there are two Vice Presidents, and they are directly elected by the people along with the President.

What Vice Presidents Do

The Vice Presidents of Costa Rica have a very important role. Their main duties include:

  • Taking Over for the President: If the President is temporarily away, sick, or cannot continue their job, one of the Vice Presidents steps in. The First Vice President usually takes over first.
  • Leading Ministries: Vice Presidents can also be appointed by the President to lead different government ministries. This means they can be in charge of areas like education, health, or the economy, helping to manage the country's daily operations.

Vice Presidents of Costa Rica (Since 1949)

Since 1949, Costa Rica has had two Vice Presidents elected by the people. Here are the people who have served in these important roles:

Vice Presidents of Costa Rica Time in Office Notes
1) Alberto Oreamuno Flores; 2) Alfredo Volio Mata 1949–1953 Both acted as temporary presidents when needed.
1) Raúl Blanco Cervantes [es]; 2) Fernando Esquivel Bonilla 1953–1958 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Abelardo Bonilla Baldares [es]; 2) José Joaquín Peralta Esquivel 1958–1962 Abelardo Bonilla Baldares acted as temporary president.
1) Raúl Blanco Cervantes [es]; 2) Carlos Sáenz Herrera 1962–1966 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Jorge Vega Rodríguez [es]; 2) Virgilio Calvo Sánchez [es] 1966–1970 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Manuel Aguilar Bonilla [es]; 2) Jorge Rossi Chavarría 1970–1974 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Carlos Manuel Castillo Morales [es]; 2) Fernando Guzmán Mata 1974–1978 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Rodrigo Altmann Ortiz; 2) José Miguel Alfaro Rodríguez 1978–1982 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Alberto Fait Lizano (resigned); 2) Armando Aráuz Aguilar 1982–1986 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Jorge Manuel Dengo Obregón; 2) Victoria Garrón Orozco de Doryan 1986–1990 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Germán Serrano Pinto; 2) Arnoldo López Echandi 1990–1994 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Rodrigo Oreamuno Blanco; 2) Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis 1994–1998 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Astrid Fischel Volio; 2) Elizabeth Odio Benito 1998–2002 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Lineth Saborío Chaverri; 2) Luis Fishman Zonzinski 2002–2006 Lineth Saborío Chaverri acted as temporary president. Luis Fishman Zonzinski never officially took office as the second vice president.
1) Laura Chinchilla Miranda (resigned 2008); 2) Kevin Casas Zamora (resigned 2007) 2006–2010 Both acted as temporary presidents. Because both resigned early, the head of the Legislative Assembly, Francisco Antonio Pacheco Fernández, stepped in as temporary president when needed.
1) Alfio Piva Mesén; 2) Luis Liberman Ginsburg 2010–2014 Both acted as temporary presidents.
1) Helio Fallas Venegas; 2) Ana Helena Chacón Echeverría 2014–2018 These were the first Vice Presidents from the Citizens' Action Party.
1) Epsy Campbell Barr; 2) Marvin Rodríguez Cordero 2018–2022 Epsy Campbell Barr was the first woman of African descent to be elected as a Vice President.
1) Stephan Brunner; 2) Mary Munive 2022–2026

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Vicepresidentes de Costa Rica para niños

  • List of current vice presidents
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