Figueres Olsen, José María (1954– )

Costa Rican politician, president 1994–98. Standing as the candidate of the centre-left National Liberation Party (PLN), he won the February 1994 presidential election, narrowly defeating Miguel Angel Rodríguez Echeverría of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC). Figueres held office at a time of economic difficulties and decided not to seek re-election in February 1998. He was succeeded as president by his 1994 rival, Rodríguez.

The son of José Figueres Ferrer, he studied engineering at the Westpoint military academy and public affairs at Harvard University in the USA. After a career in business management, he served as minister of foreign trade and agriculture.