Background
Mario Echandi Jiménez was born in San Josae on 17 June 1915.
Mario Echandi Jiménez was born in San Josae on 17 June 1915.
In the election of 1948, he supported Otilio Ulate Blanco. Following the civil war of 1948, which was fought to uphold Ulate’s election, Echandi served as Costa Rican ambassador to the United States and as foreign minister.
Echandi won the 1958 election.
Echandi ran for president again in 1970, at the head of a coalition of opposition parties, but got only 41.2 percent of the vote against Figueres. In 1982 he was again a candidate, but this time he headed a splinter right-wing group and won only 3.3 percent of the vote.
A wealthy lawyer-businessman, he represented conservative and traditional elements in Costa Rican politics.