Rafael Ángel del Socorro Calderón Guardia was the president of Costa Rica from 1940 to 1944.
In 1948, Ángel ran again as a presidential candidate. The result of the election was disputed, but the congress declared him the winner over Otilio Ulate Blanco. José Figueres Ferrer headed a popular revolt, and the government was overthrown. Calderón Guardia fled to Nicaragua (where he launched a failed invasion of Costa Rica), then fled to Mexico. In 1958, Calderón Guardia returned to Costa Rica and served as a parliamentary deputy.
He founded the CCSS, social security and health administrations for Costa RIca.
His son, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier, was president from 1990 to 1994.