Próspero Fernández Oreamuno
Próspero Fernández Oreamuno | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of Costa Rica | |
| In office 10 August 1882 – 12 March 1885 | |
| Preceded by | Saturnino Lizano Gutiérrez |
| Succeeded by | Bernardo Soto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 July 1834 San José |
| Died | 12 March 1885 (aged 50) Atenas |
Juan Primitivo Próspero Fernández Oreamuno(July 18, 1834 – March 12, 1885) wasPresidentofCosta Ricafrom 1882 to 1885.[1]
Fernández studiedphilosophyat theUniversity of San Carlos of Guatemalabefore embarking on a military career. He fought in the war of 1856–1857 againstWilliam Walkerand participated in the military coup that overthrewJesús Jiménezin 1870. He was married to a sister ofTomás Guardiaand under Guardia's government he was appointed commander of theAlajuelabarracks and given the rank ofMajor General.
He was elected to succeed Guardia in 1882. As president he implemented measures that sought to undermine the power of theRoman Catholic Church.He withdrew theConcordatwith theHoly See,expelled both theJesuitsand thebishopof Costa Rica from the country, and in 1884 passed laws that placed cemeteries under state control, introduced civil marriage, and legalized divorce. The most powerful figure within his government was his brother-in-law, former presidentJosé María Castro Madriz,who served as minister of foreign and religious affairs, education, justice, and public aid.
During his administration the state defaulted on its financial obligations toMinor C. Keith,who was building a railway to theCaribbeanport ofLimón.To compensate him, cabinet ministerBernardo Sotosigned a deal that gave Keith 800,000 acres (3,200 km2) of tax-free land along the railroad, plus a 99-year lease on the operation of the train route. Keith would later use those lands and his command of the railroad to build a powerfulbananatrading concern (seeUnited Fruit Company).
President Fernández died in office shortly after declaring war onGuatemalawhich, under Gen.Justo Rufino Barrios,had embarked on the reunification of the dissolvedUnited Provinces of Central America.
National Highway CR-27 connecting the capital city ofSan Joséwith the Pacific coast's port of Caldera is named in his honor.
