Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno

Romualdo Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (6 February 1859 – 4 January 1945) was a Costa Rican lawyer and statesman who served as President of Costa Rica on three separate occasions: 1910–1914, 1924–1928, and 1932–1936. A prominent figure in Costa Rican liberal politics, he was affiliated with the Republican Party and later the National Republican Party. In addition to his presidential terms, Jiménez was elected to the Constitutional Congress on three occasions. He also held key positions in the executive and judicial branches, serving as Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1889 to 1890 and as President of the Supreme Court of Justice from 1890 to 1892.

The son of two-time president Jesús Jiménez Zamora, Ricardo Jiménez was one of the most prominent lawyers and liberal politicians in Costa Rican history. He graduated from the University of Santo Tomás and built a career that would span multiple branches of government.

Shortly before the beginning of his first presidential term in 1910, the province of Cartago was struck by a devastating earthquake that destroyed much of the city and resulted in hundreds of fatalities. As Cartago was the largest city in the country at the time, one of the central challenges of Jiménez's first administration was overseeing its reconstruction. In response to the disaster, his government enacted a ban on adobe construction, which had proven particularly vulnerable during the quake. Another significant achievement of his first term was the restructuring and consolidation of Costa Rica’s external debt, including the repayment of a substantial portion of the country's obligations to France.

Jiménez was re-elected to the presidency in 1923. During his second term (1924–1928), he oversaw a series of institutional and infrastructure developments. Notable achievements included the establishment of the National Insurance Bank (''Banco Nacional de Seguros''), the Bank of Mortgage Credit (''Banco de Crédito Hipotecario''), and the School of Agriculture (''Escuela de Agricultura''). He also founded the Ministry of Health, marking a significant advancement in public health governance. In terms of infrastructure, his administration initiated the electrification of the Pacific railway system and advanced the development of the Pacific port of Puntarenas. After completing his term, Jiménez temporarily withdrew from political life for a period of four years.

Jiménez was constitutionally elected to his final presidential term in 1932. During this period, his administration focused on improving the country’s infrastructure and educational system. Several large school buildings were constructed to accommodate students, while road networks across Costa Rica were expanded and upgraded. Additionally, his government developed an aqueduct system beginning in the Central Valley at Ojo de Agua, which extended to the Pacific Ocean at Puntarenas. Significant infrastructure projects during his term included the construction of the bridge connecting Filadelfia and Liberia, as well as the Old National Theater.

Ricardo Jiménez died in San José on 4 January 1945.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jimenez Oreamuno, Ricardo
1859 births
1945 deaths
People from Cartago Province
Presidents of Costa Rica
Vice presidents of Costa Rica
Children of presidents
Ministers of foreign affairs of Costa Rica
Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica judges
Costa Rican agnostics
Costa Rican liberals
20th-century Costa Rican politicians