Decree of Basis and Guarantees

The Decree of Bases and Guarantees was the de facto constitutional text of Costa Rica, granted on 8 March 1841 by the Head of StateBraulio Carrillo Colina.^[1]

In 1841, with the intention of giving some juridical support to his authoritarian regime that had been established since 1838, Carrillo Colina decided to issue a fundamental statute of his own making what would fulfill a similar role to that of the Constitution. On March 8 of that year, Carrillo issued the so-called Decree of Bases and Guarantees, which represented a constitutional consecration of absolutism.^[1]

The text of the Decree, instead of conforming to the constitutional model used since 1812 (titles, chapters or sections and articles) did not have a running numbering, but was divided into seven extensive articles, subdivided in turn into paragraphs numbered independently, in the style of the American Constitution of 1787 and the French Constitution of 1791.^[1]

The Decree proclaimed that Costa Rica was a sovereign and independent State, both in its internal administration and in its foreign relations, and made no allusion to the Central American union. It also enshrined several of the major civil and political rights of the liberal tradition.^[1]

The constitutional text of 1841 departed from the classic tripartite branches and concentrated all branches in the First Head of State, who was immovable and not subject to responsibility. The First Head would presided over a Consultative Chamber of five members (one for each province), elected by census and indirect suffrage in four grades, and whose agreement was necessary to issue and interpret codes, ordinances and general regulations, declare war and make peace, set the budget, impose taxes, negotiate loans and other matters.^[1]

The General State Ministry was in fact Second Head of State, elected by census and indirect suffrage in four grades and substituted the First Head in case of death or incapacity. A Judicial Chamber of five members, elected by the First Head of the three candidates proposed by each Province, acted as supreme court. Its members had to have legal education and remained in their positions while their good performance lasted.^[1]

En cada una de las provincias ( Alajuela , Cartago , Guanacaste , Heredia y San José ) había un jefe político designado por el primer jefe. Los municipios fueron abolidos por completo. ^{[ 2 ]}

El Decreto de Bases y Garantías no mencionaba el procedimiento para su reforma, por lo que cabría suponer que la revisión constitucional se llevaría a cabo utilizando el procedimiento establecido para la emisión de códigos, ordenanzas y reglamentos generales, es decir, mediante un acuerdo entre el Primer Jefe y la Cámara Consultiva. ^{[ 3 ]} Esto permitiría conceptualizar el Decreto como un texto constitucional flexible.

El Decreto de Bases y Garantías estuvo vigente por un período muy breve, ya que en abril de 1842 la invasión del general Francisco Morazán derrocó la dictadura institucionalizada de Carrillo y se rompió el orden constitucional. Inicialmente, Morazán mantuvo el Decreto con ciertos fines, pero el 6 de junio de 1842 lo declaró nulo, decisión que fue confirmada el 24 de agosto de ese mismo año por una Asamblea Constituyente. Esto puso nuevamente en vigor, de manera provisional y adaptable, la Ley Fundamental del Estado de Costa Rica de 1825. ^{[ 1 ]}