liberals were by far the hegemonic faction in costa rica's politics since independence. unlike other latin american countries were conflicts and alternation between liberals and conservatives was common, all costa rican presidents since the first, juan mora fernández, were liberals with only one exception; vicente herrera zeledón who, despite been conservative, was still a puppet of liberal dictator tomás guardia. a series of alliances between the liberal intellectual elite, the coffee-grower bourgeoisie and the army kept the status quo into what was known as costa rica's "liberal state".