A very important issue to consider when looking at buying real estate in another country is the political situation for that country. Who wants to invest 10's or 100's (or millions for the very fortunate) of dollars somewhere, only to have it disappear into thin air when it is seized by a corrupt government or suddenly inaccessible because of political/military turmoil? Not me.
Well, I have good news to report when it comes to reviewing Costa Rica's political situation. But first, lets us start with an introduction to their government structure.
Costa Rica's Political Structure
Costa Rica is a democratic republic with an elected president, currently Oscar Arias Sanchez. Interestingly, Sanchez is a past winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for fostering peace talks in El Salvador and Nicaragua which eventually ended civil wars.
In addition to the president, there are two vice presidents and a Cabinet which consists of 18 members, as well as one of the vice presidents. Four year terms limit the run time of the president and 57 Legislative Assembly deputies. The President is only allowed to serve a single term, though deputies may run again after sitting out a term.
Promoting Foreign Investment
One of the government's agenda for many years now has been to promote economic growth in the country by welcoming foreign investment. They do this by making it easy for foreigners to invest their money in the country, by offering immigration incentives to investors, and also by not having capital gains tax. The government's ultimate goal is to create jobs for Costa Ricans through the encouragement of foreign investment. Not surprisingly, it is easier for foreigners to start a business in Costa Rica than it is for them to get a job there.
No Army
Another interesting - and extremely important - fact about Costa Rica is that they do not have a military. Their military was abolished in 1948 by President Jose Figueres Ferrer after a long civil war. In 1949, this abolition was entered into the Costa Rican Constitution as Article 12. The funds originally used for the Costa Rican military were now funneled into education, and healthcare. Because of this, Costa Rica is now well known for having one of the highest literacy rates in the world (96%) and a hybrid healthcare system of private and public health facilities, offering healthcare for all.
Promoting Trade Relations with the World
A recent and important milestone in Costa Rica's trade relations with the world was a "Si" referendum vote for Costa Rica to join the Central American Free Trade Agreement - CAFTA. This is expected to strengthen trade relations between the North America and Costa Rica, improving the countries economic situation even further. Evidence of this is shown in El Salvador's economic growth due to its joining of CAFTA.
Overall, Costa Rica's political climate is extremely stable, designed with numerous checks and balances. The absence of a military makes foreigners feel even more comfortable visiting and investing this beautiful paradise.
Costa Rica's Elected Officials
President: Oscar Arias Sanchez
First Vice Pres.: Laura Chinchilla
Second Vice Pres.: Kevin Zamora
Min. of Agriculture & Livestock: Rodolfo Coto
Min. of Culture, Youth, & Sports:Guido Saenz Gonzalez
Min. of Economy & Industry: Vilma Villalobos
Min. of Education: Astrid Fischel Volio
Min. of Environment & Energy: Carlos Manuel Rodriguez
Min. of Finance: Jorge Bolanos
Min. of Foreign Relations & Religion: Roberto Tovar Faja
Min. of Foreign Trade: Alberto Trejos
Min. of Health: Maria del Rocio Saenz
Min. of Housing: Helio Fallas Venegas
Min. of Justice: Jose Miguel Villalobos
Min. of Labor & Social Security: Ovidio Pacheco Salazar
Min. of Planning: Danilo Chaverri Soto
Min. of the Presidency: Rina Contreras Lopez
Min. of Public Security, Government, & Police: Rogelio Vicente Ramos Martinez
Min. of Public Works & Transportation: Javier Chaves Bolanos
Min. of Science & Technology: Rogelio Pardo Evans
Min. of Tourism: Ruben Pacheco
Min. of Women's Affairs: Gloria Valerin R.
Min. Without Portfolio (National Council on Childhood): Rosalia Gil
Pres., Central Bank: Francisco De Paula
Ambassador to the US: Jaime Daremblum Rosenstein
Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Bruno Stagno Ugarde
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