Overview

José María Rico Cueto (12 August 1934 – 15 April 2019) was a lawyer by profession who became widely known as the First Gentleman of Costa Rica during the presidency of his wife, Laura Chinchilla, from 2010 to 2014. Born in Granada, in Andalusia, Rico later built an international life that included long periods in North America and Costa Rica. He held citizenship in Canada and worked for many years in matters of international law.

Rico's early years began in southern Spain and later took him across the Atlantic to study and work. He moved to Montreal in the province of Quebec, where he established his professional life and acquired Canadian nationality. Public summaries of his career describe him as a lawyer active in cross-border legal matters; brief profiles and notices of his activities are available in legal and news sources (legal career).

Marriage and role as First Gentleman

Rico met Laura Chinchilla while both were involved in international and public affairs. When Chinchilla became Costa Rica's president, Rico served in the role customarily known as First Gentleman. Though the position carries no formal governmental powers, it placed him at the center of official ceremonies, diplomatic visits, and public duties associated with the presidency.

Health, accident and death

In mid-2010 Rico suffered a fall in Nandayure, a district in Guanacaste Province, while watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Years later he experienced a progressive neurodegenerative illness; official reports and family statements attributed his final decline to complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He died on 15 April 2019 in San José, at the age of 84.

Legacy and notable facts

Rico is remembered for his international background—born in Spain, resident in Montreal and later a public figure in Costa Rica—and for being the country's first person to hold the title of First Gentleman after the election of a female president. His life exemplified cross-border professional mobility and the increasingly global character of legal practice in the late 20th century.

For further contextual reading on topics related to his public role and legal background, consult official biographies and contemporary news coverage linked through authoritative sources (legal career, international law).