António Pinto Soares (1780 – April 6, 1865) was

Head of State A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

of Costa Rica from September 11 to September 27, 1842. He led the popular uprising that overthrew

Francisco Morazán José Francisco Morazán Quesada (; born October 3, 1792 – September 15, 1842) was a Central American politician who served as president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1830 to 1839. Before he was president of Central America h ...

on September 11, 1842, and served as

until September 27, when he peacefully handled power to José María Alfaro.

Early life and family

Born in

Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, in 1780 to wealthy parents 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 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).

Public and private activities

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 The Ochomogo War was a civil war fought in Costa Rica, the first in its history, and was fought shortly after the country became independent from Spain. The most important event was the Battle of Ochomogo (5 April 1823) which was fought on Oc ...

, 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.

Head of State

In September 1842, when discontent with

had peaked and the country was on the brink of a war with

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...

, 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 José María Alfaro Zamora (March 20, 1799 – June 12, 1856) was the Costa Rican Head of State between the periods of 1842 and 1844 as well as 1846 and 1847 and President of Costa Rica between May 1 and May 8, 1847. Early life and family ...

who was elected as Temporary Head of State by a collection of nobles from the different cities in the country. During his brief administration, Soares restored relations with the rest of Central America which had been broken with Morazán's rise to power and had even led to an alliance by them against his administration. The government of El Salvador granted him the rank of Division General.

Later achievements

From September 1842 to April 1844 he once again served as General Arms Commandant. He had great difficulties with the

Juan Rafael Mora Porras Juan Rafael Mora Porras (8 February 1814, San José, Costa Rica – 30 September 1860) was President of Costa Rica from 1849 to 1859. Life and career He first assumed the presidency following the resignation of his younger brother, Miguel M ...

administration, which in 1851 accused him of plotting against the government. This led to a criminal case being opened against him and his son Liborio but this was interrupted shortly after.

Death

He died in San José on April 6, 1865.

Sources

:Obregón Quesada, Clotilde, "Nuestros gobernantes". {{DEFAULTSORT:Pinto Soares, Antonio 1780 births 1865 deaths Presidents of Costa Rica Leaders who took power by coup Costa Rican people of Portuguese descent People from Porto 19th-century Costa Rican people Costa Rican liberals