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José María Castro Madriz wielded executive power in Costa Rica on two occasions: 1847 to 1849, and 1866 to 1868. He is revered as the "Founder of the Republic of Costa Rica".
He was elected head of state in 1847, during the disintegration of the United States of Central America. On 31 August 1848 he formally declared Costa Rica an independent and sovereign republic, thus severing all ties with the moribund federation. He then served for another year as president of the independent nation before opposition pressure forced him to resign in November 1849.
He was reelected in 1866 but was overthrown in a coup d'état two years later.