Costa Rica Independence Day – September 15, 2024

History of Costa Rica Independence Day

Costa Rica was under Spanish rule from 1563 to 1821. There were two groups of Spanish people during that time: ‘peninsulares’ (people from the Iberian Peninsula) and ‘criollos’ (Americans of Spanish origin). Mexico’s Independence from Spain in 1811, the revolutionary ideals of France, and Haitian independence in 1804 were all events that inspired Central American leaders to fight for independence from Spain. Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Spain in 1808 helped lead to the Spanish-American wars of independence and the collapse of Spanish control in Latin America.

In February 1821, Mexico issued a decree called ‘El Plan de Iguala.’ The Mexican plan declared Mexico’s independence from Spain, and the Southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca soon followed suit in declaring their independence. General Gaínza summoned an emergency meeting with Guatemala’s mayor and other political authorities. In this meeting, the mayor of Guatemala declared their Independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. Guatemalan authorities communicated their independence to the other Central American provinces by mail.

On October 25, 1821, Costa Rican authorities summoned representatives of other cities such as Alajuela, Heredia, and San José to discuss the country’s independence.  After a long, tiresome day of debate, Costa Rican authorities, the civilian population, the Costa Rican military, and clergy members finally decided on October 29, 1821, to declare Costa Rica’s independence from Spain. When Central American nations won their independence from Spain, they faced the problem of deciding their region’s future. After becoming part of Mexico for two years, Central America established its own Federal Republic.

Costa Rica’s elected Chief of State, José María Castro Madríz, declared that Costa Rica’s Independence Day would be celebrated every September 15 — just like the rest of Central America.