The Second Political Statute of the Province of Costa Rica was issued on May 16, 1823 by the interim government and the Second Provincial Congress of the Province of Costa Rica.
[Aguilar B., Aguilar Óscar (1974). ''La Constitución de 1949. Antecedentes y proyecciones.'' ]San José, Costa Rica
San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital city, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Costa Rican Central Valley, Central Valley, wi ...
: Editorial Costa Rica. It was issued just after the
Ochomogo War when the monarchist camp settled in
Cartago and
Heredia and headed by
Joaquín de Oreamuno as its commander of arms, was defeated by the Republican side commanded by Gregorio José Ramírez and gravitated around
San José and
Alajuela
Alajuela () is a district in the Alajuela (canton), Alajuela canton of the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica. As the seat of the Municipality of Alajuela canton, it is awarded the status of city. By virtue of being the city of the first canton of ...
.
Ramírez defeated Oreamuno on April 5 at the
battle of Ochomogo and assumed power until April 16 when he handed it over to a Constituent Congress that held it between April 16 and May 10, 1823, presided over by
José María de Peralta y La Vega. This Congress confirmed Ramírez as General
Commander in Arms, imposed the seat of government in San José and promulgated the Second Political Statute of the Province that it officiated as a
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.
When these pri ...
.
This Statute created a Governmental Superior Junta of five tenure and two alternates members and prescribed a bicameral Parliament that appointed a Political Chief, a Mayor and a General Commander of Arms.
[Obregón Loría, Rafael (1966). ''El Poder Legislativo en Costa Rica.'' ]San José, Costa Rica
San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital city, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Costa Rican Central Valley, Central Valley, wi ...
: Asamblea Legislativa. The two chambers of Parliament were an Assembly of Representatives and a Representative Council both of popular election. The first had initiative of law, fiscal authority and construction of infrastructure, the second functioned as a high chamber with power of sanction of laws, would advise the
Executive Branch
The executive branch is the part of government which executes or enforces the law.
Function
The scope of executive power varies greatly depending on the political context in which it emerges, and it can change over time in a given country. In ...
, commission of appointments and court of ethics for the civil servants.
The statute would remain in force from May 1823 to November 1824, when the Basis of Federal Constitution would become effective as Costa Rica is a member of the
Central American Federation.
References
{{Constitutions of Costa Rica
Constitutions of Costa Rica