San José – Costa Rica has elected Laura Fernández as its next president, signaling a potential seismic shift in the nation’s approach to security and governance. Fernández, backed by the ruling party, won Sunday’s election with 48.7% of the vote, campaigning on a platform of aggressive crime reduction tactics reminiscent of those employed in El Salvador. The outcome reflects growing voter concern over rising crime rates in a country long considered a regional stability leader, and raises questions about the future of democratic norms as a wave of right-leaning leadership sweeps across Latin America.
SAN JOSÉ – Costa Rica has elected Laura Fernández as its next president in a historic vote that signals a potential shift towards a more hardline approach to security and governance. With over 80% of polling stations reporting results, Fernández, the candidate backed by the ruling party, secured 48.7% of the vote, defeating center-left candidate Álvaro Ramos, who received 33.1%.
The election, held on Sunday, saw approximately 3.7 million citizens cast ballots for both the president and the 57 members of the Legislative Assembly. Fernández, a 39-year-old political scientist, campaigned heavily on a platform mirroring the security model implemented by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, a strategy that resonated with voters increasingly concerned about rising crime rates.
Fernández’s victory comes as Costa Rica, long considered a regional haven of stability, grapples with a surge in criminal activity linked to drug trafficking. The outcome could have broader implications for democratic norms in Latin America, where several countries have recently elected right-leaning leaders.
“I, as the new president of the Republic, will not allow it, ever,” Fernández declared to cheering supporters at a hotel in the capital, referring to authoritarianism, in her first address following the election results. She had previously assured the public that she would not permit authoritarianism in her government.
Opponents have accused Fernández, the political heir to current President Rodrigo Chaves, of pursuing an authoritarian path through her proposals for a tougher stance on drug trafficking and reforms to the country’s institutions.
Her win consolidates the right’s position in Latin America, following recent victories in Chile, Bolivia, and Honduras, with presidential elections also scheduled this year in Brazil and Colombia, both currently governed by left-leaning administrations. Fernández will also become the second woman to lead Costa Rica, a nation of 5.2 million people, following Laura Chinchilla, who won in the first round in 2010.
The incoming president’s approach represents a significant departure from Costa Rica’s traditional values of pacifism and civil liberties. She has frequently used strong language, referring to criminals as “desgraciados” – the unfortunate – and promising a crackdown on crime.
Central to Fernández’s proposals is the emulation of El Salvador’s security strategy. She plans to complete the construction of a large-scale maximum-security prison, modeled after the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Terrorism Confinement Center) built under President Bukele. The new facility, known as the Centro de Alta Contención del Crimen Organizado (Cacco), will have the capacity to hold 5,100 inmates.
Fernández also intends to implement states of exception in areas plagued by conflict and significantly increase penalties for criminal offenses. Supporters within the ruling party argue that individual guarantees are obstacles to effectively combating drug trafficking.
This more authoritarian vision is fully supported by current President Rodrigo Chaves, who serves as Fernández’s political mentor. Chaves maintains exceptional popularity due to his confrontational style and criticism of traditional elites. He frequently blames the judiciary and the legislature for criminal impunity, arguing they prioritize the human rights of prisoners over the rights of victims.
Analysts warn that if the ruling party secures a legislative majority, they may seek a constitutional reform to grant the executive branch more power. The rising crime rate is fueling this radical shift in public opinion.
Costa Rica, once a bastion of peace, is now experiencing a record homicide rate of 17 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. The country has become a key logistical hub for the export of drugs to the United States and Europe. The emergence of the Cartel del Caribe Sur, an internationally-scaled organization, highlights the severity of criminal violence in the ports of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
From the opposition, fears of authoritarianism are growing. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias asserts that the survival of Costa Rican democracy is now at stake. Rivals like economist Álvaro Ramos denounce Fernández’s alleged attempts to dismantle checks and balances to establish absolute control. Researchers at the University of Costa Rica point to the potential erosion of the country’s legal culture, based on legality and proportionality.
Despite a recent decrease in poverty to 15.2%, inequality and the high cost of living continue to fuel social discontent. This dissatisfaction has allowed populist authoritarianism to gain traction in one of the world’s most established democracies.
Agencia AFP.
