Daniel Oduber Quirós

His presidency also promoted student loan programs and supported the expansion of national parks, recreational areas, and cultural institutions.

Daniel Oduber Quirós studied at University of Costa Rica, University of Paris and McGill University. The recorded working language is Spanish. Positions recorded include President of Costa Rica and ambassador. Distinctions recorded are Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

• Name — Daniel Oduber Quirós • Order — 37th • Office — President of Costa Rica • Term Start — 8 May 1974 • Term End — 8 May 1978 • Vice President — * Carlos Manuel Castillo Morales • Fernando Guzmán Mata • Predecessor — José Figueres Ferrer • Successor — Rodrigo Carazo Odio Other positions • Birth Name — Porfirio Ricardo José Luis Daniel Oduber Quirós • Born — 25 August 1921 • Birthplace — San José, Costa Rica • Died — 13 October 1991 • Place of death — Escazú, Costa Rica • Party — PLN (from 1951) • Children — 2 • Relatives — Pedro Quirós Jiménez (great-grandson) Carlos Humberto Rodríguez Quirós (second cousin) • Education — University of Costa Rica (LLB) McGill University (MA) • Occupation — * Lawyer • politician • philosopher • poet • essayist

In 1926, he was enrolled in the kindergarten of the Dolorosa church in the city of San José. Between 1928 and 1933, he studied primary education at the Buenaventura Corrales School. Oduber worked as a lawyer early in his career. In 1945, Oduber went to Canada to study philosophy at McGill University, graduating with a Master of Arts degree. 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 Founding Junta of the Second Republic. Some time later he traveled to Paris, where he continued his philosophical studies at the Sorbonne. In 1948, while studying in France, he married Marjorie Elliott Sypher, the daughter of Canadian diplomats. The couple had two children, Luis Adrian and Ana María. • Illustration — Daniel Oduber during the inauguration of the new facilities of the Franco-Costa Rican High School 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 1965. He was President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica from 1970 to 1973. He initially ran for president in 1966, narrowly losing to Joaquín Trejos. He was later elected in 1974. 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. Daniel Oduber died on 13 October 1991 in Escazú.