Abstract
This article examines the relationship between colonial Costa Rica and the Mosquito Kingdom: an afro-indigenous confederation that emerged on the Caribbean coast of Central America during the seventeenth century. The purpose of this investigation is to analyze a period of frequent negotiation during the early part of the eighteenth century by calling attention to the intermediaries who handled these interactions in practice. The central figure of this narrative is the “mulato interpreter” Francisco Corella who led these negotiations from 1711 until at least 1724. In addition to telling the story of these negotiations, this article demonstrates the important contributions of diverse populations, including people of African descent, to the history of Costa Rica.