José María Hipólito Figueres Ferrer served three terms as President of Costa Rica: 1948–1949, 1953–1958 and 1970–1974. During his first term in office he abolished the country's army, nationalized its banking sector, granted women and Afro-Costa Ricans the right to vote, and offered Costa Rican nationality to people of African descent.

The Public Force of Costa Rica is the Costa Rican national law enforcement force, which performs policing and border patrol functions.