Oduber Quirós, Daniel

▪ Costa Rican politician

born Aug. 25, 1921, San José, Costa Rica

died Oct. 13, 1991, San José

      president of Costa Rica (1974–78), member of the founding junta of its Second Republic (1948), and a founder of the National Liberation Party (PLN).

      Oduber worked his way through law school in San José and then opened a law firm there. Later he studied at McGill University in Montreal and at the Sorbonne in Paris. He served as Costa Rica's minister of foreign relations in 1962–64, cultivating good relations with the United States. In 1966 Oduber was narrowly defeated in his bid for the presidency by the moderate conservative José Joaquín Trejos. Oduber became president of the PLN in 1970 and was president of the Legislative Assembly in 1970–73. In the latter role he successfully promoted reforms in social welfare, electoral and banking regulations, and education.

      Elected president in 1974 in the midst of economic difficulties, he took measures to restore the economy by reducing inflation and improving the balance of trade. He continued to expand social-welfare programs, instituted a land-reform policy, and championed environmental-protection measures. Oduber restored legal status to the Communist Party in 1975 and in 1977 reopened diplomatic relations with Cuba.

      Following his presidency, Oduber served as a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, an organization of citizens from the United States, Canada, and Latin America dedicated to discussing issues affecting the future of the Western Hemisphere.

* * *