Education
University of Costa Rica. University of Paris; McGill University.
University of Costa Rica. University of Paris; McGill University.
He served as the President of Costa Rica from 1974 to 1978. He is credited with the creation of the Sistema Nacional de Radio y Televisión and the Universidad Estatal a Distancia. Oduber worked as a lawyer early in his career.
In 1945, Oduber went to Canada to study philosophy at McGill University, graduating with a Master of Arts.
In 1948, he returned to Costa Rica and participated in the revolution led by José Figueres Ferrer. Some time later he traveled to Paris, where he continued his philosophical studies at the Sorbonne.
The couple had two children, Luis Adrian and Ana María. After returning to Costa Rica, he worked in national politics, working with the Figueres presidency campaign and becoming an Ambassador in Mexico and later in Europe.
He also served as foreign minister from 1962 to 1964.
He was elected president in 1974. His government was very socially focused, dealing heavily with working class issues. He worked on raising the quality of life of rural areas and bettered pricing for agricultural products.
A lot of attention was given to reforestation and the preservation of natural resources.
On the international front, his government was popular amongst the Central American nations. During his term in office, Oduber granted legal status to the communist party (1975) and restored consular relations with Cuba (1977).
The airport located near Liberia, Daniel Oduber International Airport, was named in his honor. There is a full statue of him in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica.
He sided and worked with Presidents Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos to defend Panama"s sovereignty.