| Post: | Mayor |
| Body: | San José |
| Flag: | Bandera de San José (Costa Rica).svg |
| Insignia: | Blason de San José (Costa Rica).svg |
| Incumbent: | Johnny Araya Monge |
| Residence: | Municipal Building José Figueres Ferrer |
| Termlength: | Four years |
| Constituting Instrument: | Municipal Code of Costa Rica |
| Formation: | 1998 |
| First: | Johnny Araya Monge |
| Website: | Mayor's Office |
The Mayor of San José is the general administrator and legal representative of the Municipality of San José, the capital of the Republic of Costa Rica and the largest and most populated municipality in the country. The position officially exists since the municipal reform of 1998 as part of the bipartisan agreements of the Figueres-Calderón Pact.[1] [2] Before this the municipalities were administered by a figure similar to a general manager appointed by the Municipal Council and called Municipal Executive, but after the reform this figure disappears replaced by the popularly elected mayor.[3] [4]
The longest serving person in the office has been Johnny Araya Monge of the National Liberation Party, who was previously municipal executive for several consecutive periods and who has served for more than 22 years (if the time he was a municipal executive) is included.
| Name | Term | Party | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matilde Marín Chinchilla | 1970-1971 | National Liberation Party | Governor of San José Province, assumed office with surcharge as Municipal Executive after the 1998 Municipal Code reform was enacted, resigned in 1971. | ||
| Vidal Quirós Berrocal | 1971-1972 | National Liberation Party | |||
| Matilde Marín Chinchilla | 1972-1973 | National Liberation Party | |||
| Roberto Mora Gagini | 1973-1974 | National Liberation Party | Named by Municipal Council to finish Marín's term. | ||
| Johnny Ramírez Azofeifa | 1974-1978 | National Liberation Party | |||
| Rolando Araya Monge | 1978-1980 | National Liberation Party | Brother of Johnny Araya. Resigns from the office to occupy a ministerial portfolio in his uncle's administration. | ||
| Johnny Ramírez Azofeifa | 1980-1985 | National Liberation Party | Substitutes Araya, resigns in 1985 to be deputy. | ||
| Victorino Venegas Sibaja | 1985-1990 | National Liberation Party | |||
| Omar Rojas Donato | 1990-1991 | National Liberation Party | Destituted by the Council, replaced by Johnny Araya. | ||
| Johnny Araya Monge | 1991-1998 | National Liberation Party |
| Name | Term | Party | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Araya Monge | 1998-2013 | National Liberation Party | First democratically elected mayor. Consecutively re-elected in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 elections. Resigns in 2013 to be unsuccessfully presidential candidate for the 2014 Costa Rican general election. | ||
| Sandra García Pérez | 2013-2016 | National Liberation Party | Vice-mayor, substitutes Araya. | ||
| Johnny Araya Monge | 2016-2020 | San José Alliance Party | Re-elected in 2016. | ||
| Johnny Araya Monge | 2020- | National Liberation Party | Re-elected in 2020. |