Daniel Oduber Quirós

Daniel Oduber Quirós
President of Costa Rica
In office
8 May 1974 – 8 May 1978
Preceded by José Figueres Ferrer
Succeeded by Rodrigo Carazo Odio
Personal details
Born 25 August 1921
San José, Costa Rica
Died 13 October 1991 (aged 70)
Escazú, Costa Rica
Political party PLN

Porfirio Ricardo José Luis Daniel Oduber Quirós (1921 - 1991) served as President of Costa Rica from 1974 to 1978.[1] Early in his career he worked as a lawyer. In 1945 he went to Canada to study philosophy at McGill University, graduating with a Master of Arts. In 1948 he returned to Costa Rica and participated in the revolution led by José Figueres Ferrer. When their faction won, he was named Secretary General of the Second Republic of Costa Rica. Some time later he travelled to Paris, where he continued his philosophical studies at the Sorbonne. While in France he married Marjorie Elliot Sypher, daughter of Canadian diplomats.

After returning to Costa Rica, he worked in national politics, working with the Figueres presidency campaign and becoming an ambassador in Mexico and later in Europe. He also served as foreign minister from 1962 to 1964.[1]

He was elected president in 1974.[1] His government was very socially focused, dealing heavily with working class issues. He worked on raising the quality of life of rural areas and bettered pricing for agricultural products. A lot of attention was given to reforestation and the preservation of natural resources. On the international front, his government was popular amongst the Central American nations. During his term in office, Oduber granted legal status to the communist party (1975) and restored consular relations with Cuba (1977). He sided and worked with Presidents Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos to defend Panama's sovereignty.

The airport located near Liberia, Daniel Oduber International Airport, was named in his honor. There is a full statue of him in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Curriculum Vitae: Daniel Oduber Quirós" (PDF). UNESCO. 9 August 1985. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
Preceded by
José Figueres Ferrer		 President of Costa Rica
1974–1978 		Succeeded by
Rodrigo Alberto Carazo Odio