Romualdo Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno (February 6, 1859 – January 4, 1945) served as president of Costa Rica on three occasions: 1910–1914, 1924–1928 and 1932–1936. He was one of the best known lawyers in Costa Rican history and a University of Santo Tomás graduate. Shortly before assuming power in 1910, the province of Cartago was hit by a powerful earthquake which destroyed most of the city and killed hundreds. One of his main struggles was the rebuilding of the biggest city in the country at the time. After the earthquake, Jiménez outlawed construction with adobe. Another notable aspect of his first term was the consolidation of the country's external debt with a great part of the debt owed to France being repaid.