Cleto González Víquez

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Cleto González Víquez

President of Costa Rica
In office
May 8, 1906 – May 8, 1910
Preceded by Ascensión Esquivel
Succeeded by Ricardo Jiménez (first term)

President of Costa Rica
In office
May 8, 1928 – May 8, 1932
Preceded by Ricardo Jiménez (second term)
Succeeded by Ricardo Jiménez (third term)

Born October 13, 1858(1858-10-13)
Barva, Heredia, Costa Rica
Died September 23, 1937
San José, Costa Rica


Cleto de Jesús González Víquez was, on two occasions, the President of Costa Rica. Don Cleto González Víquez was born in Barva, Heredia, October 13, 1858.

Began very youth his political career, was a mayor of San José, Secretary of state of the President Thicket, Undersecretary of Government and Police and temporary of Foreign Affairs and of Promotion and Agriculture.

He was a President of the Lawyer's Collage and of the Meeting of Charity of San José.

Of 1890 until 1902 al belonged parted of opposition. In 1906 was chosen President of the Republic, being an example of respect to the law and to the public liberties. He governed with a lot of touch, taking into account that he did not have majority in the Congress.

It expanded the pipe of San José and those of other cities. Worried greatly by the public hygiene and the municipal services. He built the building (already knocked down) of the old National Library.

In 1928 he was elected again as the President, after a hard fight against the licentiate Carlos María Jiménez Ortiz. During this administration began the paving of the streets of San José and improved some highways in the Central Valley. It finished the work of the electrification of the railroad to the Pacific Ocean.

He confronted a difficult fiscal situation, that had extended to all the countries of the world as a consequence of the serious financial crisis (known as depression) initiated in the United States, in October of the year 1929.

During its governments there was peace and tranquility. In setiembre of 1937, said in the newspaper The Tribunal: "I have not done another thing more than trying to fulfill my duty toward my country.

Nothing more would i desire to have done so many things, but the kindness of the Costa Rican surpasses it all; is a virtue of my countrymen that hope be conserved eternally".

Died in San José the 23 of setiembre of 1937. It was declared Distinguished of the Country October 6, 1944.

Main achievements of its government

  • He concluded the railroad to the Pacific in 1910
  • He dictated the first Law of Railroads
  • He expanded the System of Pipes of San José.
  • He built the old building of the National Library
  • Reinforced the municipal services
  • He created the accounts receivable of Work in 1928 and Social Forecast and impulsed the making of a Code of Work
  • He was prompted the accounts receivable of Agriculture they were created and Stockbreeding and the National Service of Electricity in 1928
  • He created the attorney general's office of the Republic
  • He founded the National Patronage of the Infancy
  • He founded the First National Business of Air Transportations in 1932
  • Inaugurated the dock of Puntarenas in 1928
  • Paved the streets of San José
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