They had two girls, Berta and Rosa (*official records of this marriage were destroyed in the earthquake of Cartago in 1910).

Duly impressed by the technological advancements he saw in Europe, he decided to return to Costa Rica and modernize it.

He established the colon as the unit of currency, and put Costa Rica on the gold standard.

He completed the Atlantic to Pacific railway,[4] and built up the coastal town of Puerto Limon.

He also instituted educational reforms, establishing a precedent for text books to be authored by Costa Rican citizens.

In 1895, Congress approved a measure to create a board of medicine, surgery and pharmacy, composed of all the doctors, surgeons and pharmacists that had been nationally certified.

Rafael Iglesias appeared on Costa Rican paper money in the former denomination of 5 colones.