Costa Rica abolished its military army on December 1, 1948, following the civil war earlier that year. This historic act was taken by then-President José Figueres Ferrer, who symbolically smashed a wall of the Bellavista barracks in San José to mark the event. The abolition was later enshrined in the 1949 Costa Rican Constitution, where Article 12 permanently abolished the army as a standing institution, redirecting resources to social sectors such as health and education. December 1st is celebrated annually in Costa Rica as Army Abolition Day, commemorating this significant move towards peace and civilian governance.