Costa Rica Government

The political and governmental stability of Costa Rica over the past fifty years has allowed it to become one of the most popular choices for international trade and investment in Latin America. It has also encouraged a great deal of tourism and relocation by foreigners. The country is currently seeing a large real estate boom, and major international corporations such as Intel and Johnson & Johnson have established large and significant operations in the country.

The government of Costa Rica is a democratic republic, following the outline of a well framed Constitution. Much like the United States, the government is divided into three powers: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. The Executive of Costa Rica is overseen by an elected President, the Legislative powers are in the hands of the Legislative Assembly and the Judicial powers and authority are vested in the Supreme Court.

Unlike the United States the elected Executive has two vice presidents, and the Executive, the vice presidents and the Legislative Assembly members are elected for terms of four years. An early draft of the Costa Rican Constitution imposed a limit on presidential terms, allowing a single four-year term, but a 2003 amendment lifted the ban and allowed Oscar Arias a second term as President of Costa Rica after an eight year waiting period. Delegates of the Legislative Assembly are also able to run again after waiting a single term as well.

Costa Rica’s Supreme Court differs from that of the United States as well. It is divided into four segments or chambers which deal with Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Civil Law and Merchant Law. Also different from the life long terms of the United States Supreme Court Justices, the Costa Rican Supreme Court is made up of 22 magistrates that are selected for renewable terms, lasting eight years each, by the Legislative Assembly members.

Local government is in the hands of the many elected mayors within each “canton”. The country is divided into seven provinces, which are further divided into the 81 cantons. Since December of 2002 each canton is under the authority of the popularly elected mayor, who enjoys a four year term. There are no provincial legislatures or governing agencies.

Because of this governmental organization there are certain state agencies that enjoy a great deal of autonomy and operational independence and they include electrical power providers, nationalized banks, state insurance agencies, the social security agency and the telecommunications agencies. However, with the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the United States on the horizon, many of these so-called state monopolies will lose their sole rights to these industries. Competition will however be highly regulated.

Under Constitutional law the country has no military, though a professional Coast Guard has been established since the year 2000. Unlike many other areas of Latin America, Costa Rica has been able to avoid any widespread violence due to its stable economy, excellent public health care initiatives and opportunities, a low rate of unemployment, and its high quality of life for most residents. The country has also shown awareness towards the preservation of natural resources and wildlife and is the founding nation of the eco-tourist trade, meant to encourage foreign visitation, but also foster low impact travel to the many wonderful and unique natural areas in the country.