José María Cañas
Encyclopedia
José María Cañas Escamilla (died October 2, 1860) was a Costa Rican military figure, born in Suchitoto
, El Salvador
.
He moved to Costa Rica
in 1842 along with General Francisco Morazán
, where he married Guadalupe Mora Porras, sister of President Juan Rafael Mora Porras
.
He was named Secretary of War during the Mora Porras presidency. As a general, he commandeered the Costa Rican Army during the third and most important part of the campaign against filibuster
William Walker. He was known as an affable and kind person amongst his troops.
Cañas was also responsible for the development of Costa Rica's Pacific Oceant port, Puntarenas
, where he served as commander for several years. Cañas imported Chinese laborers to Puntarenas
, employing many of them as laborers on his estates. A benevolent patron to these workers, Cañas's memory is, to this day, held in high remark by many of their descendants. Years after Cañas's death, his children were still well received in Puntarenas
by members of the thriving Chinese-Costa Rican community.
In representation of Costa Rica he signed the Cañas-Jerez Treaty
, the Cañas-Martínez Treaty and the Cañas-Jerez Treaty
that dealt with the demarcation of the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua
.
In 1859, when his brother-in-law was deposed, he emigrated back to El Salvador with him. The following year they returned to Costa Rica seeking the restoration of Mora Porras in the presidency. The expedition failed and they both died in Puntarenas
. Juan Rafael Mora Porras
was executed by firing squad on September 30; Cañas was killed using the same method on October 2, 1860.
Cañas was the last prominent Costa Rican leader to face the death penalty as the victim of political persecution. Two decades after the execution of Cañas, President Tomás Guardia, who had served under his command in 1856, abolished the death penalty.
Several years after Cañas' execution his widow and their children returned to Costa Rica
. The family thrived and was welcomed once again into the country's highest spheres. Cañas' only surviving son, Rafael Cañas Mora, served in the Costa Rican congress and was a successful businessman. Other Cañas descendants include Dr. Luciano Beéche Cañas, a Costa Rican doctor; Rafael Beéche Cañas, founder of the tuna fishing industry in Costa Rica
; Eduardo Beéche Titzck, former governor of the state of Puntarenas
; Arturo Beéche Bravo, author, educator and royal historian; Alberto Cañas Escalante
, author, intellectual and politician; Marta Castegnaro Cañas, newspaper columnist and historian.
Suchitoto
Suchitoto is a municipality in the Cuscatlán department of El Salvador.Suchitoto is widely known throughout El Salvador for its church and for its cobblestone roads...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
He moved to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
in 1842 along with General Francisco Morazán
Francisco Morazán
General Francisco Morazán was a Honduran general and a politician who ruled several Central American states at different times during the turbulent period from 1827 to 1842. He rose to prominence at the legendary Battle of La Trinidad on November 11, 1827...
, where he married Guadalupe Mora Porras, sister of President Juan Rafael Mora Porras
Juan Rafael Mora Porras
Juan Rafael Mora Porras was President of Costa Rica from 1849 to 1859.He first assumed the presidency following José María Castro's resignation and was subsequently reelected in 1853 and 1859....
.
He was named Secretary of War during the Mora Porras presidency. As a general, he commandeered the Costa Rican Army during the third and most important part of the campaign against filibuster
Filibuster (military)
A filibuster, or freebooter, is someone who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution...
William Walker. He was known as an affable and kind person amongst his troops.
Cañas was also responsible for the development of Costa Rica's Pacific Oceant port, Puntarenas
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
, where he served as commander for several years. Cañas imported Chinese laborers to Puntarenas
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
, employing many of them as laborers on his estates. A benevolent patron to these workers, Cañas's memory is, to this day, held in high remark by many of their descendants. Years after Cañas's death, his children were still well received in Puntarenas
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
by members of the thriving Chinese-Costa Rican community.
In representation of Costa Rica he signed the Cañas-Jerez Treaty
Cañas-Jerez Treaty
The Cañas-Jerez Treaty between Costa Rica and Nicaragua was enacted April 15, 1858 as a solution to the growing border tension between the two countries. The treaty was negotiated between Máximo Jerez representing Nicaragua and José María Cañas representing Costa Rica....
, the Cañas-Martínez Treaty and the Cañas-Jerez Treaty
Cañas-Jerez Treaty
The Cañas-Jerez Treaty between Costa Rica and Nicaragua was enacted April 15, 1858 as a solution to the growing border tension between the two countries. The treaty was negotiated between Máximo Jerez representing Nicaragua and José María Cañas representing Costa Rica....
that dealt with the demarcation of the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
In 1859, when his brother-in-law was deposed, he emigrated back to El Salvador with him. The following year they returned to Costa Rica seeking the restoration of Mora Porras in the presidency. The expedition failed and they both died in Puntarenas
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
. Juan Rafael Mora Porras
Juan Rafael Mora Porras
Juan Rafael Mora Porras was President of Costa Rica from 1849 to 1859.He first assumed the presidency following José María Castro's resignation and was subsequently reelected in 1853 and 1859....
was executed by firing squad on September 30; Cañas was killed using the same method on October 2, 1860.
Cañas was the last prominent Costa Rican leader to face the death penalty as the victim of political persecution. Two decades after the execution of Cañas, President Tomás Guardia, who had served under his command in 1856, abolished the death penalty.
Several years after Cañas' execution his widow and their children returned to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The family thrived and was welcomed once again into the country's highest spheres. Cañas' only surviving son, Rafael Cañas Mora, served in the Costa Rican congress and was a successful businessman. Other Cañas descendants include Dr. Luciano Beéche Cañas, a Costa Rican doctor; Rafael Beéche Cañas, founder of the tuna fishing industry in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
; Eduardo Beéche Titzck, former governor of the state of Puntarenas
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
; Arturo Beéche Bravo, author, educator and royal historian; Alberto Cañas Escalante
Alberto Cañas Escalante
Alberto Cañas Escalante is a Costa Rican politician, as well as a diplomat, lawyer and playwright. He co-founded one of Costa Rica's biggest law firms, Facio & Cañas. He was considered a very important figure in the cultural, political and social life of Costa Rica in the second half of the...
, author, intellectual and politician; Marta Castegnaro Cañas, newspaper columnist and historian.