Juan Mora Fernandez Statue

Juan Mora Fernández was a Costa Rican teacher and principal who served as Costa Rica's first elected head of state. He was considered a liberal and decided to move the capital from Cartago to Puntarenas. Mora was elected as the first head of state in 1824.He is remembered for instituting land reform, and he followed a progressive course. As a consequence of his land reform structure, he inadvertently created an elite class of powerful coffee barons. Under his tenure he signed the Acta de Indepencia. The barons eventually overthrew one of his later successors, José María Alfaro Zamora.

From 1850 to 1854 he was Magistrate and President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica; he died shortly after he resigned. The first printing press arrived in Costa Rica under his tenture.