Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tomás Guardia Gutiérrez President of Costa Rica First term: 10 August 1870 to 8 May 1876 – Preceded by: Bruno Carranza – Succeeded by: Aniceto Esquivel Second term: 11 September 1877 to 6 July 1882 – Preceded by: Vicente Herrera – Succeeded by: Saturnino Lizano Date of birth: 16 December 1831 Place of birth: Bagaces, Guanacaste Date of death: 6 July 1882 Place of death: Alajuela Party:

General Tomás Miguel Guardia Gutiérrez (December 16, 1831–July 6, 1882) was President of Costa Rica on two occasions: from 1870 to 1876, and from 1877 to 1882.

On 27 April 1870 Tomás Guardia was one of a group of army officers who deposed President Jesús Jiménez. He was the power behind the throne during the very short presidency of his conspirator Bruno Carranza, whom he replaced after a period of three months.

The following year he enacted Costa Rica's 1871 Constitution, which remained in force until 1948.

On 8 May 1876 he surrendered the presidency to Aniceto Esquivel. He continued to pull the strings of power during Esquivel's short term in office and that of Esquivel's successor Vicente Herrera, before reassuming the presidency himself on 11 September 1877. He remained in office until his death. Abolished the death penalty.