Alajuelita is a canton in the San José province of Costa Rica.
History Alajuelita was created on 4 June 1909 by decree 58. The first settlements in the area occurred by 1650. The name "Alajuelita" comes from a diminutive form of the name of Alajuela Province due to original settlers coming from that province.
Geography Alajuelita has an area of and a mean elevation of .
The odd-shaped canton reaches southwest from the suburbs of the national capital city of San José. It is delineated by the Tiribí River on the northeast, Cañas River on the east, Poás River on the southeast, and the Cerros de Escazú at it far southwestern end. The is located in this canton along with the San Miguel Hill, whose metallic cross built at its peak is definitely one of the more beloved landmarks in Costa Rican Central Region.
Government Mayor According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton. As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the New Generation Party candidate, María del Rosario Siles Fernández, was elected mayor of the canton with 47.78% of the votes, with Jonathan Miguel Arrieta Ulloa and Javiera Tatiana Centeno Barboza as first and second vice mayors, respectively.
+ Mayors of Alajuelita since the 2002 electionsPeriodNameParty2002–2006Víctor Hugo Echavarría Ureña PUSC2006–2010Tómas Poblador Soto PLN2010–2016Víctor Hugo Echavarría Ureña PUSC2016–2020Modesto Alpizar Luna PNG2020–20242024–2028María del Rosario Siles Fernández
Municipal Council Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called ) are elected every four years. Alajuelita's Municipal Council has 7 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor () is absent. The current president of the Municipal Council is the Social Christian Unity Party member Henry David Salazar Quesada, with New Generation Party member Grettel Andrea Murillo Quirós as vice president. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:
+ Current composition of the Municipal Council of Alajuelita after the 2024 municipal electionsPolitical parties in the Municipal Council of AlajuelitaPolitical partyRegidores№OwnerSubstituteNew Generation Party (PNG)3Laura Alicia Araúz TenorioRosibel Calderón ChinchillaJosé Alix Reyes GómexHector Alonso Hidalgo SánchezGrettel Andrea Murillo Quirós(VP)Flor Zúñiga RodríguezSocial Christian Unity Party (PUSC)2Henry David Salazar Quesada(P)Luis Fernando Chinchilla RetanaPatricia Mayela Guido ChinchillaKatherine Marcela Mora BonillaNational Liberation Party (PLN)1Leyda María Badilla SánchezCarolina Mora SibajaOur Town Party (PNP)1José Alberto Páez ZúñigaEsteban Emilio Chavarría Villalta
Districts The canton of Alajuelita is subdivided into the following districts: Alajuelita San Josecito San Antonio Concepción San Felipe
Demographics
Alajuelita had an estimated population of people in 2022, up from at the time of the 2011 census.
In 2022, Alajuelita had a Human Development Index of 0.712.
Education
Escuela San Felipe, founded 1966
Transportation Road transportation The canton is covered by the following road routes:
Notes
References