Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia
Encyclopedia
Rafael Ángel del Socorro Calderón Guardia was the president
of Costa Rica
from 1940 to 1944.
, who was later to be the first female diplomat of Costa Rica. After finishing his studies, Calderón became a practicing physician, which he would remain for most of his early career.
Calderón soon turned his back on the conservative coffee elite to address widespread poverty and poor health conditions among the working poor. He became the first Central American president to primarily focus his attention on poverty and deteriorating social conditions.
During his presidency he established the Work Code, which introduced the minimum wage
, and other important protections for laborers. Prior to this reform, working conditions for Costa Rica's poor had been abhorrent. Calderón also founded the CCSS, a national social security retirement program, extremely advanced for its time. He also instituted a national healthcare program. In education, he established the University of Costa Rica
.
To this day, Costa Rica has been well-known around the world for its system of universal health care, its high education levels, and the social security system founded under Calderón.
Calderón also brought Costa Rica into World War II
on the Allied side and cooperated with the United States
. During the war his government imprisoned many Costa Ricans of German descent and confiscated many of their assets including large coffee plantations and banking businesses. This made him very unpopular with the powerful German minority
in the country. Many German families and their descendants would later become backers of Calderón's rival, José Figueres Ferrer
.
Calderón developed strong ties with labor organizations, certain important figures of the Catholic Church, such as the progressive Archbishop Víctor Sanabria, and the Communist Party, led by Manuel Mora. This unlikely alliance was strong enough to transform the country's labor laws, its health and education systems, and its economic structure. He enjoyed wide support among the poor, but a growing coalition of land owners, industrialists, military leaders, and conservative Church officials strongly opposed him, polarizing society.
to succeed him as President. Picado was also backed by Archbishop Sanabria, and the former Communist leader Manuel Mora in the 1944 election. Calderón was accused of committing electoral fraud and even violence during the election, which was extremely unusual in relatively peaceful and democratic Costa Rica. However, Picado's 2:1 margin of victory suggests that he would have won regardless of these instances. Picado's Presidency was quieter and more concilliatory than that of Calderón. But both Calderón and his enemies were preparing for the upcoming showdown in 1948, when Calderón would be constitutionally eligible again to run for President.
defeated him by 10,000 votes and was proclaimed winner by the Electoral Board. However, the Congress, controlled by Calderón's party, declared the votes for President to be null and void.
Calderón seized power, but the charismatic José Figueres Ferrer
launched a coup against him in the Revolution of 1948. Calderón was backed by the Costa Rican army and communist fighters. After 2,000 deaths, the Revolution ended and Figueres seized power. Figueres is noted for seizing power by force, establishing the framework for a successful modern Democracy (which lasts to this day), disbanding the military, and then remarkably voluntarily relinquishing power. Figueres is celebrated as a national in Costa Rica to this day, while Calderón's image was tarnished, in spite of his monumental social reforms.
Upon being ousted by Figueres, Calderón fled to Nicaragua
, where he launched failed invasions of Costa Rica in December, 1948 and 1955, further tarnishing his image. He then fled to Mexico
. In 1958, Calderón Guardia returned to Costa Rica and was elected as congressman, but he didn't serve as such. He ran for the presidency again in 1962 but lost. He was also named ambassador to Mexico (1966-1970). He died in 1970.
His son, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
, was president from 1990 to 1994.
Calderón Guardia remains one of the most controversial figures in Costa Rican history. While his social reforms had an enormous impact on Costa Rica, his seizure of power in 1948 and failed coup attempts hurt his reputation.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
from 1940 to 1944.
Early life
Calderón was born on 10 March 1900 in San José. In his youth, Calderón studied in Costa Rica and Belgium, where he married Yvonne Clays SpoeldersYvonne Clays Spoelders
Yvonne Clays Spoelders was the First Lady of Costa Rica from 1940 to 1944 and the country's first female diplomat....
, who was later to be the first female diplomat of Costa Rica. After finishing his studies, Calderón became a practicing physician, which he would remain for most of his early career.
Presidency
In 1940, with the support of conservative coffee elites, Calderón was elected President of Costa Rica. Prior to Calderón, Costa Rican Presidents, while democratically elected, had largely supported the interests of the conservative coffee oligarchy.Calderón soon turned his back on the conservative coffee elite to address widespread poverty and poor health conditions among the working poor. He became the first Central American president to primarily focus his attention on poverty and deteriorating social conditions.
During his presidency he established the Work Code, which introduced the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
, and other important protections for laborers. Prior to this reform, working conditions for Costa Rica's poor had been abhorrent. Calderón also founded the CCSS, a national social security retirement program, extremely advanced for its time. He also instituted a national healthcare program. In education, he established the University of Costa Rica
University of Costa Rica
The University of Costa Rica is a public university in the Republic of Costa Rica, in Central America. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, is located in San Pedro, in the province of San José. It is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious institution of higher learning in...
.
To this day, Costa Rica has been well-known around the world for its system of universal health care, its high education levels, and the social security system founded under Calderón.
Calderón also brought Costa Rica into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on the Allied side and cooperated with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. During the war his government imprisoned many Costa Ricans of German descent and confiscated many of their assets including large coffee plantations and banking businesses. This made him very unpopular with the powerful German minority
in the country. Many German families and their descendants would later become backers of Calderón's rival, José Figueres Ferrer
José Figueres Ferrer
José María Hipólito Figueres Ferrer , served as President of Costa Rica on three occasions:1948–1949, 1953–1958, and 1970–1974....
.
Calderón developed strong ties with labor organizations, certain important figures of the Catholic Church, such as the progressive Archbishop Víctor Sanabria, and the Communist Party, led by Manuel Mora. This unlikely alliance was strong enough to transform the country's labor laws, its health and education systems, and its economic structure. He enjoyed wide support among the poor, but a growing coalition of land owners, industrialists, military leaders, and conservative Church officials strongly opposed him, polarizing society.
Picado Years
In 1944, Calderón supported Teodoro Picado MichalskiTeodoro Picado Michalski
Teodoro Picado Michalski was the President of Costa Rica from 1944 to 1948.-Overview:Teodoro Picado governed Costa Rica immediately after the presidency of Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia and preceded the de facto junta of José Figueres...
to succeed him as President. Picado was also backed by Archbishop Sanabria, and the former Communist leader Manuel Mora in the 1944 election. Calderón was accused of committing electoral fraud and even violence during the election, which was extremely unusual in relatively peaceful and democratic Costa Rica. However, Picado's 2:1 margin of victory suggests that he would have won regardless of these instances. Picado's Presidency was quieter and more concilliatory than that of Calderón. But both Calderón and his enemies were preparing for the upcoming showdown in 1948, when Calderón would be constitutionally eligible again to run for President.
Revolution of 1948
In 1948, Calderón ran for president again. Otilio Ulate BlancoOtilio Ulate Blanco
Luis Emilio Rafael Otilio Gonzalez Ulate y Blanco served as President of Costa Rica from 1949 to 1953. His French heritage comes from his mother, Ermida Blanco...
defeated him by 10,000 votes and was proclaimed winner by the Electoral Board. However, the Congress, controlled by Calderón's party, declared the votes for President to be null and void.
Calderón seized power, but the charismatic José Figueres Ferrer
José Figueres Ferrer
José María Hipólito Figueres Ferrer , served as President of Costa Rica on three occasions:1948–1949, 1953–1958, and 1970–1974....
launched a coup against him in the Revolution of 1948. Calderón was backed by the Costa Rican army and communist fighters. After 2,000 deaths, the Revolution ended and Figueres seized power. Figueres is noted for seizing power by force, establishing the framework for a successful modern Democracy (which lasts to this day), disbanding the military, and then remarkably voluntarily relinquishing power. Figueres is celebrated as a national in Costa Rica to this day, while Calderón's image was tarnished, in spite of his monumental social reforms.
Upon being ousted by Figueres, Calderón fled to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, where he launched failed invasions of Costa Rica in December, 1948 and 1955, further tarnishing his image. He then fled to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1958, Calderón Guardia returned to Costa Rica and was elected as congressman, but he didn't serve as such. He ran for the presidency again in 1962 but lost. He was also named ambassador to Mexico (1966-1970). He died in 1970.
His son, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier served as President of Costa Rica from 1990 to 1994. He was the presidential candidate of the Social Christian Unity Party for the national elections held in February 2010, but resigned his candidacy on 5 October 2009, when he was sentenced to five years in prison...
, was president from 1990 to 1994.
Calderón Guardia remains one of the most controversial figures in Costa Rican history. While his social reforms had an enormous impact on Costa Rica, his seizure of power in 1948 and failed coup attempts hurt his reputation.