"Mi administración no procede de luchas ni se inaugura sobre las ruinas de ningún partido. Su bandera es la nación y su objeto el bienestar de toda Costa Rica" (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mar%C3%ADa_Castro_Madriz)
Said the Founder of the Republic
Jose Castro doesn't just have the same last name as the current dictator of Cuba, he also was a liberal and very deep believer in enlightenment and the freedom of the press. He married former head of state, Manuel Fernandez Chacon's, daughter. Before he became president, he had several other jobs in the government including Auditor of War, Minister General, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy for Homeless, Deputy Chief, and Vice President.
This man is the first president (everyone before him were all called head of states). He stopped being president when coffee barons decided to force his resignation and replaced him with his vice president Juan Rafael Mora. Wow, guess it's a good idea not to upset those coffee barons. Instead of "Cotton is King"- it's Coffee is King. During Castro's first term he made a lot of treaties and made good diplomatic relations. He was a strong promoter of education during both his terms. The only problem during his reign was the poor coffee economy which led to the barons replacing him. There were some attempts to overthrow the government before the military coup of 1868 which ended Castro's presidency.
Some of his major accomplishments while he was in power include:
- Creating a girls high school
- declaring Costa Rica as sovereign and independent republic
- creating the current flag
- made a national holiday!!!! I like this guy
- opened Limon to foreign trade
- made the first telegraph line going between Cartago and Puntarenas
- installed pipe's in San Jose
- supported cultural trainning and education of women
- established a national bank
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