Background
Cleto González Víquez was born in Heredita on 13 Ocober 1858.
government official politician president
Cleto González Víquez was born in Heredita on 13 Ocober 1858.
“Don Cleto,” along with Ricardo Jiménez Oreamun dominated Costa Rican politics between 1906 and 1936. He was president twice, 1906-1910 and 1928-1932.
Don Cleto embraced the liberal reforms of the late nineteenth-century, particularly in education and separation of church and state, making them the guiding principles of his administrations. He worked hard to uphold law and extend the suffrage and political rights to all citizens. He believed strongly in individual freedom and the unobtrusiveness of government.
However González Viquez and Ricardo Jiménez failed to organize a permanent political party or to develop potential successors. They largely ignored economic and social problems. They achieved clean government and electoral democracy, but did not interfere with the economic power of the coffee barons.
