In August 1976, Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Gonzalo J. Facio and Agriculture Minister Hernán Garrón Salazar resigned from President Daniel Oduber's cabinet. Both officials publicly announced their intention to seek the presidential nomination from the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN). The resignations occurred as they prepared to campaign for the 1978 election. This move signaled a clear ambition for higher office from both ministers. Their departures created a shift in Oduber’s administration with the upcoming presidential contest in mind. The announcement represented a key moment in the lead-up to the 1978 Costa Rican presidential election and the internal dynamics of the PLN.