PVP was founded in 1931 as the Workers and Farmers Party, but was soon renamed to the Communist Party of Costa Rica (Partido Comunista de Costa Rica).

[4][verification needed] In 1984, a severe internal crisis appeared in the party.

[4] On April 29, 2012, VP held a constitutive assembly for the electoral registration that would allow them to participate as a national party in the 2014 elections, which finally did not happen.

At the meeting, María Isabel Fallas was elected president of the provisional executive committee.

In the XVI International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from November 13 to 15, 2014, the Partido Vanguardia Popular was represented by Luis Salas Sarkis and Sonia Zamora.