Costa Rica - Democracy, Peace, Stability

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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica">Costa Rica</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Costa-Rica">Introduction & Quick Facts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref40873"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica#ref40873">Land</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40874"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica#ref40874">Relief</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40875"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica#ref40875">Climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40876"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica#ref40876">Plant and animal life</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref40878"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/People">People</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40879"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/People#ref40879">Ethnic groups</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272316"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Languages">Languages</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272317"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Languages#ref272317">Religion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40877"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Languages#ref40877">Settlement patterns</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40880"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Demographic-trends">Demographic trends</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref40881"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Demographic-trends#ref40881">Economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40883"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Demographic-trends#ref40883">Agriculture, forestry, and fishing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40882"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power">Resources and power</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40884"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power#ref40884">Manufacturing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40885"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power#ref40885">Finance</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272318"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power#ref272318">Trade</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272319"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power#ref272319">Services</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272320"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Resources-and-power#ref272320">Labour and taxation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40886"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications">Transportation and telecommunications</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref40887"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref40887">Government and society</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40888"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref40888">Constitutional framework</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272321"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref272321">Local government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272322"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref272322">Justice</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272323"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref272323">Political process</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272324"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref272324">Security</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40890"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare">Health and welfare</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref40889"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare#ref40889">Education</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref40891"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare#ref40891">Cultural life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272325"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare#ref272325">Cultural milieu</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272326"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare#ref272326">The arts</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272327"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Health-and-welfare#ref272327">Cultural institutions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272328"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Sports-and-recreation">Sports and recreation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272329"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Sports-and-recreation#ref272329">Media and publishing</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref129485"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Sports-and-recreation#ref129485">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272330"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Independence">Independence</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272331"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Independence#ref272331">Costa Rica in the 20th century</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref272332"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Transition-to-democracy">Transition to democracy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref272333"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Costa-Rica-from-1974-to-2000">Costa Rica from 1974 to 2000</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref272334"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Costa-Rica/Costa-Rica-in-the-21st-century">Costa Rica in the 21st century</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Costa-Rica">Facts & Stats</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/25/7225-050-7CC95EBB/Flag-Costa-Rica.jpg" data-href="/media/1/139528/88697" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/25/7225-004-65F33B16/Flag-Costa-Rica.jpg" alt="flag of Costa Rica" height="50" /> </a> <a href="" data-href="/media/1/139528/151388" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <em class="material-icons md-48" data-icon="volume_up"></em> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/14/7214-050-46827460/Costa-Rica-boundaries-map-cities-locator.jpg" data-href="/media/1/139528/62319" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/14/7214-004-F0EE4427/Costa-Rica-boundaries-map-cities-locator.jpg" alt="Costa Rica" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/124551-050-25801343/terrain-Monteverde-Costa-Rica.jpg" data-href="/media/1/139528/218855" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/124551-004-208093C7/terrain-Monteverde-Costa-Rica.jpg" alt="Monteverde, Costa Rica" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/20/183620-050-6B33BD72/World-Data-Locator-Map-Costa-Rica.jpg" data-href="/media/1/139528/213469" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/20/183620-004-5EC1C5AC/World-Data-Locator-Map-Costa-Rica.jpg" alt="Costa Rica" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/30/7230-050-A661E61A/Costa-Rica-map-features-locator.jpg" data-href="/media/1/139528/62330" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/30/7230-004-FD9CBC10/Costa-Rica-map-features-locator.jpg" alt="Physical features of Costa Rica" height="50" 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/costa-rica/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Costa Rica</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/centam/cr-intro.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Globalseurity.org - Costa Rica</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.visitcostarica.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Tourism Site of Costa Rica</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/costa-rica-virtual-jewish-history-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Jewish Virtual Library - Costa Rica</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/costa-rica" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">globalEDGE - Costa Rica: Introduction</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Costa-Rica/345671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Costa Rica - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Costa-Rica/273827" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Costa Rica - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: República de Costa Rica, Republic of Costa Rica</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Franklin-D-Parker/2245" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Franklin D. Parker</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Emeritus Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Author of <i>The Central American Republics </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Franklin D. Parker</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Charles-L-Stansifer/4796" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Charles L. Stansifer</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of History, University of Kansas. Compiler of <i>Costa Rica (World Bibliographical Series, Vol. 126)</i>.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Charles L. Stansifer</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-21T00:00:00CST" >Nov 21, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/costa-rica-sack-interim-manager-vivas-2024-11-21/" rel="nofollow">Costa Rica sack interim manager Vivas</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 20, 2024, 2:30 PM ET (Reuters) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/new-zealand-inks-sustainable-trade-deal-with-switzerland-costa-rica-iceland-2024-11-16/" rel="nofollow">New Zealand inks 'sustainable' trade deal with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 15, 2024, 11:01 PM ET (Reuters) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="3" id="ref272332"> <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Meanwhile, Costa Rica suffered an interruption in its march toward democratic, civilian-controlled government. When the country held an election under direct <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="suffrage" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/suffrage" data-type="EB">suffrage</a> for the first time, in 1913, no candidate won a majority, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Legislative-Assembly-France-1791-1792" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Legislative Assembly</a> chose Alfredo González Flores as president. Disgruntled over tax reforms proposed by González, Gen. <span id="ref467952"></span>Federico Tinoco Granados in 1917 led one of the country’s few coups. Tinoco’s despotic behaviour soon cost him his popularity. His administration was also impeded by the refusal of the U.S. government to recognize his regime, and revolts and the threat of U.S. intervention caused him to resign in 1919.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">This experiment in dictatorship was not repeated, and Costa Rica continued its tradition of democratic elections and orderly government. A <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/literacy-test" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">literacy test</a> for voters was adopted in 1920 and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Australian-ballot" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">secret ballot</a> in 1925. Costa Rica’s most serious political crisis since 1917 came in 1948. Former president Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia (1940–44) formed an unusual political <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="coalition" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/coalition" data-type="EB">coalition</a> consisting of members of the communist Popular Vanguard Party and the Catholic Church to bring about significant improvement in workers’ conditions and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/social-security-government-program" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">social security</a>. Some thought the coalition went too far when it tried to prevent the seating of the president-elect, Otilio Ulate, a Social Democrat. <span id="ref467953"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jose-Figueres-Ferrer" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">José Figueres Ferrer</a>, an outspoken landowner who favoured a greater role for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/public-enterprise" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">state enterprise</a>, organized local and foreign militia and trained them at his farm. His army, which evolved into the <span id="ref1070321"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-Liberation-Party" class="md-crosslink ">National Liberation Party</a> (Partido Liberación Nacional; PLN), launched a successful rebellion against the government and sparked a brief civil war in which about 2,000 civilians were killed. The war ended after a compromise was reached under which Figueres promised to restore order, to preserve some of Calderón’s reforms, and to then turn over the presidency to Ulate. Figueres led the country for 18 months. A new constitution, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="promulgated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promulgated" data-type="MW">promulgated</a> in 1949 by Figueres’s regime, prohibited the establishment or maintenance of an army, established <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/woman-suffrage" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">women’s suffrage</a>, strengthened the electoral tribunal, abolished institutionalized racism, nationalized the banking system, and gave great powers to state corporations, known as <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="autonomous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autonomous" data-type="MW">autonomous</a> agencies. Then, as promised, the junta turned the government over to Ulate. Figueres was elected twice in his own right, in 1953 and again in 1970, establishing his PLN as the dominant group in the Legislative Assembly.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":10,"pagesTotal":12,"pageId":139528,"pageLength":443,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"COUNTRY_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":10,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Costa Rica - Democracy, Peace, Stability | Britannica