Background on Key Candidates and Their Impact
Costarricenses cast their votes on Sunday in presidential elections where the populist right-wing government seeks to extend its mandate until 2030 and secure control of Congress, amid escalating violence fueled by drug trafficking.
Frontrunner Laura Fernández
Laura Fernández, a protégé of President Rodrigo Chaves and former chief of staff, leads the polls with just over 40%, making a second round in April unlikely according to studies. The 39-year-old political scientist has pledged to maintain Chaves’ stringent security policies and anti-establishment message.
Key Competitors
Fernández’s closest competitors are Álvaro Ramos, a centrist economist representing the Liberación Nacional (PLN) party, Costa Rica’s oldest political party; and Claudia Dobles, an architect heading a progressive coalition and former first lady during Carlos Alvarado’s term (2018-2022). Both garner single-digit support but are seen as the most likely contenders for a potential second round if Fernández fails to secure 40%.
Fernández has also urged voters to ensure at least 40 out of the 57 seats in Costa Rica’s Congress, a supermajority that would allow her to push constitutional reforms.
The current government holds only eight seats and attributes its stalled agenda to the gridlock in Congress.
Support for Fernández
In Esparza, a small town in the coastal Puntarenas province where Fernández was born, blue flags of her party dominated the landscape.
Ricardo Mora, 59, grew up in Esparza and said he and his eleven brothers mostly supported the PLN throughout their lives, but all except two back Fernández due to frustration with corruption scandals and poor governance.
“The saying goes, ‘To the best tree, the best shade falls.’ And she’s going for the shadow of the president,” Mora said, adding that he anticipates a second Chaves presidency after Fernández. He also views a supermajority in Congress as an “important emergency measure” for implementing changes, citing Nayib Bukele of El Salvador as an example of reducing crime.
“After that, it definitely needs to change. Too much power can corrupt individuals,” Mora continued.
Voter Sentiment and Undecided Voters
Around a quarter of the 3.7 million eligible voters were undecided early in the week, and similar turnout to the 2022 elections (when nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots) was anticipated.
Gabriela Segura, a 25-year-old business administrator, expressed concern over the rise in crime but also desired a candidate who would protect Costa Rica’s public healthcare system.
“There has been a noticeable increase in homicides, femicides… As a woman, it’s terrifying to go out on the streets now more than ever,” Segura said, despite historic highs in homicides during Chaves’ term and multiple corruption investigations.
Despite these issues, Chaves maintains a popularity index of 58% according to a recent University of Costa Rica survey.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the main candidates in the Costa Rican presidential elections? Laura Fernández, Álvaro Ramos, and Claudia Dobles are the key candidates.
- What is Laura Fernández’s stance on key issues? She has pledged to maintain stringent security policies and anti-establishment messaging similar to President Chaves.
- Why is there concern over voter turnout and undecided voters? Around a quarter of eligible voters were undecided early in the week, similar to the 2022 election turnout where nearly 60% of voters participated.
- How popular is President Rodrigo Chaves despite controversies? Despite rising crime rates and corruption investigations during his term, Chaves maintains a popularity index of 58%.
