Laura Fernández, a political scientist and former senior official, has won Costa Rica’s presidential election, securing an apparent first-round victory, according to preliminary results released by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
At 39, Fernández becomes the country’s second female president, benefiting from the popularity of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, who is constitutionally barred from re-election.
Key developments:
• Fernández won close to 50% of the vote, with around 85% of ballots counted.
• The campaign focused heavily on crime and public security, now a top voter concern.
• Costa Rica has recorded nearly 900 homicides annually since 2023, linked to drug trafficking.
• Fernández supports states of emergency, expanded international policing cooperation, and a 5,000-inmate megaprison.
• Critics warn of risks to democratic checks and balances and human rights.
In her victory speech, Fernandez promised “deep and irreversible change” and announced that Costa Rica was entering a new political era.
The Central American nation’s second republic, which began after the 1948 civil war, “is a thing of the past,” she said.
“It’s up to us to build the third republic,” Fernandez told flag-waving supporters.
Final legislative results are expected in the coming days.
ℹ️ nytimes, Al Jazeera
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