Antonio Pinto Soares

António Pinto Soares (1780 – April 6, 1865) was Head of State of Costa Rica from September 11 to September 27, 1842.

He led the popular uprising that overthrew Francisco Morazán on September 11, 1842, and served as Head of State until September 27, when he peacefully handled power to José María Alfaro.

Born in Porto, Portugal sometime in 1780 to wealthy parents by the names of Alexandre Pinto and María Custodia Soares. He was a marine merchant and settled in Costa Rica circa 1810. He married María del Rosario Castro Ramírez (1792-1882) on April 26, 1813 in San José. She was daughter of Francisco Castro y Alvarado and María de la Trinidad Ramírez y Ulloa. From this marriage he had fifteen children: José Dolores, Fernando, Mercedes, José Antonio, Baltazar, Petronila, José Antonio Raimundo, Francisca, Liborio, José Concepción, Jesús, Francisco, José, Manuel, and Remigio (all by the surnames of Pinto Castro).

He dedicated himself to sea trade, coffee agriculture, and commerce although he also served in the military and earned the rank of General. He commanded the Republican artillery units during the 1823 Battle of Ochomogo, served as Costa Rica's Commandant of Artillery, Prosecutor for the 1823 Special Tribunals, Second in Command of the Provincial Battalion for the Disciplined Militias, General Internal Commandant and lastly General Arms Commandant. He also aided the government during the 1835 Civil War before retiring from military service. After this he served as mayor of San José for several terms.

In September 1842, when discontent with Francisco Morazán had peaked and the country was on the brink of a war with Nicaragua, Pinto led a popular uprising to overthrow him. He became Head of State on September 11, 1842, but he did not desire this power and peacefully conceded to José María Alfaro Zamora who was elected as Temporary Head of State by a collection of nobles from the different cities in the country.

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