Events in the year 2013 in Costa Rica.
Incumbents
President – Laura Chinchilla Miranda (Partido Liberación Nacional – PLN) First Vice President – Alfio Piva Mesén (PLN) Second Vice President – Luis Liberman Ginsburg (PLN) President of the Legislative Assembly – Victor Emilio Granados Calvo (Partido Accessibilidad Sin Exclusión) until 1 May; succeeded by Luis Fernando Mendoza Jiménez (PLN).
Events
January
1 January – New Year's Day, a national holiday celebrated with a big dance in Parque Central in San José. 9–21 January – The Palmares Festival was held. The included concerts, fairgrounds, eating and drinking, and parades on horseback known as . There were also so-called bullfights () which are really a rodeo with bull riders () and dozens of members of the public in the ring called who stand around until the bull chases them, and then they run away. Bulls are not killed but people sometimes are. 21 January – The National Biosecurity Technical Commission (CTNBio) granted the American company Delta & Pine Land, a subsidiary of the multinational biotechnology company Monsanto, permission to grow genetically modified corn in Costa Rica. There are 443 hectares of biotech crops in Costa Rica, including cotton, soybeans, pineapple, and banana, which are being grown by the companies Semillas Olson, D & PL Semillas, Bayer, Semillas del Trópico, and Del Monte. 31 January – A new law prohibiting hunting for sport was signed by President Laura Chinchilla. The law set fines of up to ₡1.5 million for sport hunting and up to ₡900,000 for wildlife trafficking.
February
1–3 February – Annual Puntarenas Carnival. 5 February – The Municipal Council of San José passed a motion banning the growth, sale, and consumption of genetically modified food within the canton. 20 February–3 March – The took place, an annual festival in Liberia, which included a parade of 3,000 riders, bullfights, and the election of a festival queen.
March
10 March – The National Oxherds Day () was celebrated when hundreds of oxcarts paraded from Escazú to San Antonio. The holiday has fallen on the second Sunday of March since 1984. This year, an extended festival with a daily programme of events began on the second of March because it was the 30th anniversary of the event and included a folklore festival, traditional music, dance, and costumes, parades, and fireworks. 19 March – Saint Joseph's Day, celebration of the patron saint of San José. 22 March – Controversy followed the loss by the national football team of a World Cup qualifying match against the United States during a heavy snow storm in Denver that covered the playing pitch in snow during the game. The referee, Joel Aguilar of El Salvador, paused the game and consulted both teams, who agreed to play on. Nevertheless, Costa Rica complained of the decision afterwards following their 1–0 defeat to the Usonians. 28 March – Maundy Thursday, a national holiday. 29 March – Good Friday, a national holiday.
April
11 April – Battle of Rivas Day or Juan Santamaria Day, a national holiday that commemorates the national hero who fought at the battle of Rivas against the American invader William Walker in 1856. 15 April – Laura Chinchilla, with an approval rating of 26 percent, was found to be the least popular president in the Western Hemisphere, by a Mexican consultancy ranking of the leaders of 19 countries. Chinchilla later dismissed the finding as "aberrant" and like comparing "pears and oranges". 19 April – Aboriginal Day.