No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta Rica celebrates 71 years without an army

Costa Rica celebrates 71 years without an army

Costa Rica on Sunday is celebrating the 71st anniversary of the abolition of its army.

Former President José Figueres Ferrer abolished the armed forces in Costa Rica on Dec. 1, 1948 following the end of the civil war that brought him to power.

Vice President Epsy Campbell commemorated the anniversary during an event at the Plaza de la Democracia in San José on Sunday afternoon.

“Seventy-one years ago, Costa Rica ended the last confrontation in history in which Costa Ricans used weapons to resolve our differences,” Campbell said. “President Figueres not only abolished the army via decree, but handed over the keys of the barracks to the newly founded University of Costa Rica, so that it would later become in the National Museum.”

President Carlos Alvarado, who is in Madrid for a climate conference, gave a short address via video conference.

Last year, as part of the 70th anniversary events, Alvarado said the commemoration “unites us with our history and throughout generations.”

 

“It is with enormous honor and pride as a Costa Rican that I partake in this commemoration — one that is unique throughout the world,” Alvarado said in his 2018 speech. “My heart fills with joy and patriotic love for this country of ours.”

Watch Alvarado’s full address from last year below:

“Our grandparents were the first generation in the world to know what it was like to live in a country without an army,” Alvarado added in a Facebook post.

“We carry a responsibility that calls us to build a better Costa Rica, for that fourth generation, for our daughters and sons — the great grandchildren of the abolition.”

Read more in The Tico Times from previous celebrations of the anniversary:

Costa Rica celebrates 67 years without an army

The day has served as a Veterans’ Day for a country that has few veterans:

Costa Rican veterans reflect 66 years after abolition of army


Thanks for reading The Tico Times. We strive to keep you up to date about everything that’s been happening in Costa Rica. We work hard to keep our reporting independent and groundbreaking, but we need your help. The Tico Times is partly funded by you and every little bit helps. If all our readers chipped in a buck a month we’d be set for years.

Support the Tico Times

Trending Now

Costa Rica Route 32 Remains Closed After Large Landslide Near Zurquí

Traffic came to a standstill yesterda afternoon on National Route 32 after a massive landslide forced the complete closure of one of the country’s...

Costa Rica Battles Rising Cyberbanking Fraud and AI-Powered Scams

Cybercrime is a serious problem in Costa Rica. The number of victims is rapidly growing and so are the different techniques used by criminals...

New U.S. Diplomat Jennifer Savage Takes Charge at Costa Rica Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica named Jennifer Savage as its new chargé d'affaires yesterday. She steps in to lead the diplomatic mission until...

Central American Sportfishing Alliance Expands Drive for Marine Conservation

The Central American Sportfishing Alliance (CASA) announced new global partnerships during ICAST 2025, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, strengthening its mission to use...

El Salvador’s Bukele Challenges Critics Over Indefinite Re-Election Reform

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele rejected on Sunday the notion that the approval of indefinite presidential re-election in El Salvador marks “the end of democracy,”...

Former Guatemalan Mayor Extradited to US on Cocaine Conspiracy Charges

Guatemalan officials handed over former mayor Romeo Ramos Cruz to US authorities this week, marking another blow to drug networks operating in Central America....
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica