This past Thursday, Costa Rica and its students commemorated the 169th anniversary of the Battle of Santa Rosa. During that battle, the defense of the country’s sovereignty was accomplished in less than 20 minutes.
The heroic feat took place in 1856, igniting “a flame of patriotism that lives on in the soul of every Costa Rican to this day,” acknowledged Kelsey Esquivel, a student at La Cruz Day School.
She spoke during the formal commemoration ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and held at Santa Rosa National Park. “May the memory of Santa Rosa strengthen our resolve to preserve justice, self-determination, integrity, and the development of our nation,”
Also present was Leonardo Sánchez, Minister of Education, who reviewed the praise Costa Rica received for achieving victory in this battle. Among them, he mentioned Pope Pius IX, who issued a proclamation against the filibusters, he explained.
He believes that if this had not happened, Costa Rica would probably have an army today. Sánchez stated that when he was a high school student, he had to go to the Santa Rosa mansion to complete an assignment.
A free and sovereign people
“My mind traveled back to that March 20, 1856. I heard the roar of gunfire, I imagined the brave Costa Rican soldiers fiercely defending our land, giving everything so that today we can call ourselves a free and sovereign people,” he declared.
The event was also attended by students from the Barrio Irvin Technical Professional School, La Cruz Day High School, La Cruz Experimental Bilingual High School, La Cruz Night High School, Cuajiniquil High School, and Santa Cecilia High School.
Also notable was the presence of Nayuribe Guadamuz, former Minister of Culture in this administration, who was dismissed from her position in June 2024. She was present as the Regional Director of the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) in Liberia.
Recognitions
During the event, the students proudly sang the National Anthem, the Guanacaste Anthem, the Anthem dedicated to Juan Rafael Mora Porras, and the Santa Rosa March.
In addition, the Honor Guard of the La Cruz Command paid tribute to the heroes of the 1856-1857 National Campaign, who lost their lives defending Costa Rica’s freedom. The events at Santa Rosa prevented the continuation of the filibuster invasion led by William Walker, both in Costa Rica and Central America.
Although they were superior in number, the filibusters were no match for the attack by the Costa Rican troops. A total of 42 dead and 25 wounded were reported on both sides.
“Sovereignty is defended with the heart,” student Esquivel concluded her message. The Battle of Santa Rosa joins the Battle of Rivas (on April 11) as the festivities of the 1956 campaign in Costa Rica.
