Political Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica ...

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Presentation The National Comission for the Improvement of Justice Administration (Conamaj), wishes to reaffirm its commitment to promote the values and principles that characterize Costa Rican society through the edition of this English language version of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica and transmit English speakers our idiosincracy. Since the Political Constitution is the foundation of our legal order, and a declaration of popular will that contains the precepts of our rights and fundamental guarantees, it is of special interest to offer a translated version of this document to our fellow citizens. We enthusiastically believe that this publication is part of the celebration of the Sixtieth anniversary of our Magna Carta (1949-2009), which for more than six decades has offered the basis for the practice and strengthening of our democratic life. This publication shows, once again, that inter-institutional work, and the professional cooperation of our collabora ...

and his staff of translators, who contributed with their work and effort to this publication. We would also like to thank MSc Nancy Hernández López and MSc. Olman Rodríguez Loaiza, outstanding members of the Poder Judicial, for their help and input. Finally, we offer this edition to all the national and international community as a token of our civic values. Dr. Román Solís Zelaya MSc. Sara Castillo Vargas President Executive Director Conamaj Conamaj 4 ...

POLITICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA We, the Representatives of the People of Costa Rica, freely elected Members of the National Constitutional Assembly, invoking the name of God and reaffirming our faith in democracy, decree and enact the following: CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA TITLE I THE REPUBLIC Sole Chapter ARTICLE 1. Costa Rica is a free and independent democratic Republic. ARTICLE 2. Sovereignty resides exclusively in the Nation. ARTICLE 3. No one may usurp sovereignty; any person who does so commits the crime of treason against the Nation. ARTICLE 4. No person or group of persons may assume the representation of the People, usurp their rights, or make petitions in their name. Violation of this article shall be sedition. ARTICLE 5. The national territory is bounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the Republics of Nicaragua and Panama. The boundaries of the Republic are those established by the Cañas- Jérez Treaty of April 15, 1858, rati ...

ARTICLE 6. The State exercises complete and exclusive sovereignty over the air space above its territory, over its territorial waters within a distance of twelve miles measured from the low-tide mark along its shores, over its continental shelf and its insular undersea base, in accordance with principles of International Law. It also exercises special jurisdiction over the seas adjacent to its territory within a distance of two hundred miles measured from the same mark, in order to protect, preserve and exploit exclusively all the natural resources and wealth existing in the waters, soil and subsoil of those zones, in accordance with those principles. (As amended by Law N° 5699, June 5, 1975). ARTICLE 7. Public treaties, international agreements and concordats duly approved by the Legislative Assembly shall have a higher authority than the laws upon their enactment or from the day that they designate. Public treaties and international agreements referring to the territorial integrity o ...

responsibility for the organisation, management and supervision of suffrage-related acts, as well as for any other functions vested in it by this Constitution and the laws. (The foregoing paragraph was added by Law N° 5704, June 5, 1975). ARTICLE 10. A specialised Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice shall declare, by an absolute majority vote of its members, the unconstitutionality of provisions of any nature and of acts subject to Public Law. The jurisdictional acts of the Judicial Branch, the declaration of the elections by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and any other acts established by law cannot be challenged following this procedure. This Chamber shall also: a) Settle any conflicts of jurisdiction between State branches, including the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, as well as any other entities or bodies established by law. b) Hear any consultations on constitutional amendment bills, ratification of international agreements or treaties and other bills, as provided by law. (As am ...

ARTICLE 12. The Army as a permanent institution is abolished. There shall be the necessary police forces for surveillance and the preservation of public order. Military forces may only be organized under a continental agreement or for the national defence; in either case, they shall always be subordinate to the civil power: they may not deliberate or make statements or representations individually or collectively. TITLE II COSTA RICANS Sole Chapter ARTICLE 13. The following are Costa Ricans by birth: 1. A child born within the territory of the Republic to a Costa Rican father or mother; 2. A child born abroad to a Costa Rican-born father or mother, who is registered as such in the Civil Register by the will of the Costa Rican parent during his minority, or by his own will up to the age of twenty-five; 3. A child born in Costa Rica to foreign parents, who is registered as a Costa Rican by the will of either parent during his minority, or by his own will up to the age of twenty-five; 4. ...

3. Central Americans, Spaniards and Iberian-Americans who are not native-born, and other foreigners who have been domiciled in Costa Rica for at least seven years and meet any other requirements prescribed by the law. 4. A foreign woman who loses her nationality through marriage to a Costa Rican. 5. A foreign woman who, after being married two years to a Costa Rican, and having resided in the country during the same period, indicates her desire to acquire the Costa Rican nationality. 6. Anyone who obtains honorary nationality granted by the Legislative Assembly. (As amended by Law N° 7065, May 21, 1987). ARTICLE 15. Anyone who applies for naturalisation must provide evidence of good behaviour, demonstrate that he has a known occupation or means of livelihood, show that he speaks, writes and reads the Spanish language, submit himself to a comprehensive test on the history and the values of the country, promise to reside within the national territory on a regular basis and swear to respe ...

TITLE III FOREIGNERS Sole Chapter ARTICLE 19. Foreigners have the same individual and social rights and duties as Costa Ricans, with the exceptions and limitations established by this Constitution and by the laws. They may not intervene in the political affairs of the country, are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of justice and the authorities of the Republic, and may not have recourse to diplomatic channels, except as provided in international conventions. TITLE IV INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND GUARANTEES Sole Chapter ARTICLE 20. All persons are free within the Republic; no one under the protection of its laws can be a slave. (As amended by Article 1 Law N° 7880, May 27, 1999). ARTICLE 21. Human life is inviolable. ARTICLE 22. Every Costa Rican may move about and stay anywhere within the Republic or abroad, provided he is free from any liability, and may return whenever it may be convenient to him. No requirements may be imposed on Costa Ricans that prevent them from entering the cou ...