Background on the Election and Key Candidates
On Sunday, Costa Ricans cast their votes to elect a new president, with the ruling party’s candidate, Laura Fernández, leading as a strong favorite due to her pledges of a firm hand against narco-related violence. Her opponents, however, argue that her approach will push the country towards authoritarianism.
Polling stations closed at 6:00 PM local time (12:00 AM GMT), following a 12-hour voting period during which 3.7 million Costa Ricans were eligible to choose not only a president but also representatives in this democratically recognized nation that has faced rising crime rates in recent years.
Voter Sentiment and Key Issues
As night fell, thousands of people waved party flags and honked car horns in San José and other cities, eagerly awaiting the initial results to be released by the electoral tribunal around 9:00 PM local time (3:00 AM GMT on Monday).
Diego Araya, a 25-year-old bank teller from southeastern San José, told AFP, “Unlike countries like Nicaragua or Venezuela, we have the privilege of voting freely. The biggest challenge is combating narcotráfico.”
Laura Fernández: The Hard-Line Candidate
Fernández, a 39-year-old right-wing politician and former minister, has emphasized her goal of winning in the first round, requiring 40% of the vote as predicted by polls. Should a second round be necessary, it would take place on April 5.
As the political heir of popular former president Rodrigo Chaves, Fernández aims to secure 40 out of 57 seats in Congress to amend the Constitution and reshape state powers.
Support for Fernández
Sileny Fernández, a 39-year-old HR consultant, supports “continuity” because “the economy is doing well, and Laura will take a firm stance against the narcos.”
Should Fernández win, it would further solidify the right-wing’s influence in Latin America following recent victories in Chile, Bolivia, and Honduras.
Unlike Honduras, the United States—an ally of outgoing president Chaves—did not endorse a specific candidate but expressed respect for Costa Rica’s democratic process.
The Bukele Factor
Despite a record-high murder rate of 17 per 100,000 residents during Chaves’ tenure, he blames the judiciary for enabling criminals’ impunity.
Seven out of ten homicides are linked to narcotráfico, transforming Costa Rica—once considered one of the safest countries in the continent—into a logistics and drug export hub, according to authorities.
“The narcos come and go as if it were their own backyard, and there’s no government stopping them. We can still save our country,” said Bernarda Marín, a 70-year-old cook, after voting for opposition economist Álvaro Ramos, who polls second with 10%.
Fernández proposes completing the construction of a prison inspired by El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele’s megacrijon for gang members, increasing penalties, and implementing states of exception in marginalized, conflict-ridden areas.
“I like her prison project. The violence escalated because they’re targeting the leaders, like removing rats from sewers,” justified Jéssica Salgado, a 27-year-old office worker.
Her sister Kenia, 24, who voted for the opposition, lamented that the president claimed narcos kill “each other,” failing to recognize that “innocent people are dying.”
Fear of Authoritarianism
Opponents argue that Fernández seeks to emulate Bukele’s absolute power and reelection indefinitely, potentially governing behind the scenes if she wins.
They label Fernández a “populist” and “a poor imitation” of Chaves for adopting his confrontational rhetoric, claiming she aims to alter the Constitution so her mentor can return to power in four years, as it currently only allows two terms of office.
“I will always safeguard democratic stability,” Fernández assured at her polling station.
Former president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias, voting, stated, “We’re betting the survival of democracy”: “Dictators’ first move is to reform the Constitution to maintain power.”
“There are no dictatorships here,” Arias declared after casting his ballot, sparking criticism for mocking voters chanting “¡Fuera Chaves!” outside a polling station.
The opposition, hoping for a runoff or a legislative bloc to counterbalance power, scattered their proposals among 19 candidates, including Ramos and centrist former first lady Claudia Dobles.
Although poverty dropped from 18% in 2024 to 15.2% in 2025, Costa Rica remains among the six most unequal Latin American countries based on the Gini index and is the second priciest after Uruguay.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the main candidates in Costa Rica’s presidential election? The two primary candidates are Laura Fernández, the ruling party’s hard-line choice, and Álvaro Ramos, an opposition economist.
- What are Fernández’s key campaign promises? Fernández pledges a firm hand against narco-related violence, completing a prison inspired by El Salvador’s, increasing penalties, and implementing states of exception in conflict-ridden areas.
- What concerns do opponents have about Fernández’s candidacy? Opponents fear that Fernández aims to emulate Nayib Bukele’s absolute power and reelection indefinitely, potentially governing behind the scenes if she wins.
- How has Costa Rica’s crime situation affected this election? Despite a decline in poverty, Costa Rica faces rising crime rates, with narcotráfico-related homicides becoming increasingly common. This has made crime combat a central issue in the election.
