A COUNTRYSIDE SCENE NEAR SAN JOSE 
by the people of Costa Rica, and on November 12, 1821, the last Spanish 
governor, Don Juan Manuel de Carias, was obliged to resign his office. 
Upon the formation of the Central American Republic, Costa Rica became 
a state of the Union, and in 1822 was annexed by the Emperor of Mexico, 
Augustin Iturbide. With the fall of that short-lived empire, the Central 
American States were once more free to adopt their own forms of government. 
A constitutional congress meeting in Guatemala City proclaimed the constitu¬ 
tion of the Central American Federation on November 22, 1824. Afterwards, 
as the states composing the Federation one by one withdrew, Costa Rica 
declared her independence on April 1, 1829, but stated her willingness again 
to enter the union if it should ever be reestablished. 
Several attempts were made by the Central American states to reestablish 
the Federation, but without result, and on January 21, 1847, Costa Rica 
proclaimed her constitution and formally adopted the title of the Republic 
of Costa Rica. 
CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT 
The present constitution of the Republic was adopted December 7, 1871, 
some slight amendments having been added since. The government is divided 
into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative power is 
exercised by a single body called the Constitutional Congress and composed 
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of 44 deputies. It meets in the capital, San Jose, on May 1 and continues 
in session for sixty days, which period may be continued for ninety days if 
the Chamber so decides. The president can also convene it in extraordinary 
session. The deputies are elected in the proportion of one deputy for every 
15,000 inhabitants or fraction exceeding 7,500. Voting for president, depu¬ 
ties and municipal councillors is free, direct and secret, and by a Constitu¬ 
tional amendment passed in 1936, it is compulsory for all male citizens of age 
who are able to support themselves. 
The president’s term of office is four years, and he may not be reelected for 
a second consecutive term. There is no vice-president, but three designados, 
known as first, second, and third, are named by Congress to exercise the 
executive power in case of the death, absence from the country, resignation, or 
incapacity of the president. 
The president is assisted by a Cabinet composed of secretaries, who are 
appointed by and are responsible to him. The Cabinet consists of the follow¬ 
ing offices: Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Worship; Secretary of 
Interior; Secretary of Finance and Commerce; Secretary of Public Education; 
Secretary of Promotion and Agriculture; Secretary of Public Health and 
Social Welfare; Secretary of Public Safety. 
The Department of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Worship (Secretaria 
de Relaciones Exteriores, Justicia, Culto y Gracia) through the diplomatic 
and consular corps maintains relations with foreign countries and has charge 
of all matters usually pertaining to that department. It also has charge of all 
THE POST OFFICE AND TELEGRAPH 
BUILDING AT SAN JOSE 
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