Laura Fernandez wins Costa Rica’s presidential election

2026-02-02 - 08:46

Laura Fernandez, waves to supporters during her victory speech after the presidential election’s results were announced. (AFP pic) SAN JOSE: Right-wing political scientist Laura Fernandez won Costa Rica’s presidential election on Sunday by a landslide, after promising to crack down hard on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade. Fernandez’s nearest rival, center-right economist Alvaro Ramos, conceded defeat as results showed the ruling party far exceeding the threshold of 40 percent needed to avoid a run-off. With 81.24 percent of polling stations counted, the political heir of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves had 48.94 percent of the vote compared to 33.02 percent for Ramos. As soon as the first results were announced, members of Fernandez’s Sovereign People’s party erupted in celebrations around the country, waving blue, red and white-striped Costa Rican flags. “Viva Rodrigo Chaves,” some cheered, in a nod to Fernandez’s mentor. Appearing via video link at her party’s official election night party in the capital San Jose, Fernandez, 39, thanked Chaves for giving her “the confidence to be president-elect of Costa Rica” and told him that his legacy was in good hands. She added that she would “fight tirelessly” to ensure Costa Rica “continues on the path of economic growth, freedom, and above all, the progress of our people.” The country of 5.2 million people, famous for its white-sand beaches, has long been seen as an oasis of stability and democracy in Central America, But in recent years, it has gone from transit point to logistics hub in the global drug trade. Drug trafficking by Mexican and Colombian cartels have seeped into local communities, fuelling turf wars that have caused the murder rate to jump 50 percent in the past six years, to 17 per 100,000 inhabitants. Fernandez cites iron-fisted Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who has locked up thousands of suspected gang members without charge, as an inspiration on how to tamp down crime. Bukele was the first foreign leader to congratulate her. Fernandez’s win confirms a rightward lurch in Latin America, where conservatives have ridden anger with corruption and/or crime to win power in Chile, Bolivia, Argentina and Honduras. Costa Ricans also voted for members of the 57-seat Legislative Assembly on Sunday. Partial results showed Fernandez’s party winning around 39 percent of the vote.