National Liberation Party
Partido Liberación Nacional |
|
---|---|
President | José María Figueres |
Founder | José Figueres Ferrer |
Founded | October 12, 1951 |
Headquarters | Casa Liberacionista "José Figueres Ferrer", San José, Costa Rica |
Student wing | Juventud Universitaria Liberacionista |
Youth wing | Juventud Liberacionista |
Ideology |
Social democracy |
Political position |
Center to Centre-left Center-right (factions) |
Regional affiliation | COPPPAL |
International affiliation | Socialist International |
Colours | Green, white |
Legislative Assembly |
18 / 57
|
Intendants |
4 / 8
|
Mayors |
48 / 81
|
Regidors |
186 / 495
|
Party flag | |
Website | |
www.plncr.org | |
The National Liberation Party (Spanish: Partido Liberación Nacional, commonly abbreviated as PLN), nicknamed the verdiblancos ("green and whites"), is a political party in Costa Rica. The party is a member of the Socialist International.
In 1948 a rebel group called National Liberation Army commanded by caudillo José Figueres Ferrer led a rebellion against the government of then President Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia and his Communists allies. After the Civil War the rebels were victorious and Figueres took power de facto. Yet, Figueres did not overrule the social reforms made by Calderón and allies, like Social Security, almost free college education and Labor Laws but kept them and even made a series of Progressive reforms himself like abolishing the army and taxation on capital. Figueres gave up power in favor of the democratically elected president Otilio Ulate in 1949.
In 1951 the Social Democratic Party, the Center for the Study of National Problems and the group Democratic Action formed the National Liberation Party in October 12 in order to participate in the 1953 election, the first election since the civil war, with Figueres as nominee and democratic socialism as ideology. This election was very controversial as many parties were unable to participate, among others Calderon’s Republican Party and the Communists. Figueres won easily over the only other candidate with 60% of the votes.