Military of Costa Rica

In December 1, 1948 Costa Rica the president José Figueres Ferrer abolished the army after victory in the civil war in that year. In a ceremony in the Cuartel Bellavista, Figueres broke a wall with a mallet symbolizing the end of Costa Rica's military spirit. In 1949 the abolition of the military was introduced in the Article 12 of the 1949 Constitution.

Image:FigueresMuroCuartelBellavista.jpg
José Figueres Ferrer breaking a wall of the Cuartel Bellavista symbolizing the abolition of the Military

The budget before dedicated to the military now is dedicated to education, security and culture, the country has only a National Police. A museum was placed in the Cuartel Bellavista, the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica as a symbol of the compromise with the culture.

In 1986 the president Oscar Arias Sánchez declared with the law #8115, December 1 as the Día de la Abolición del Ejército (Military abolition day).

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