Summary: Costa Ricans went to the polls on Sunday as the government of right-wing populist President Rodrigo Chaves sought to extend its hold on executive power and substantially increase its representation in the legislature. Laura Fernandez, Chaves’ former chief of staff and political protege, led opinion polls with just over 40% support, a share sufficient to claim the presidency outright and avoid a runoff scheduled for April 5.
Fernandez has campaigned as a direct continuation of Chaves’ policies, promising to maintain his tough approach to security and to carry forward an anti-establishment message. She has also asked voters to grant her 40 seats in Costa Rica’s 57-seat legislative assembly, a supermajority that would enable her to pursue constitutional changes. The current government holds eight seats in the assembly and has attributed slow progress on its agenda to congressional gridlock.
Her nearest competitors in the crowded field of 20 candidates are Alvaro Ramos, a centrist economist representing Costa Rica’s oldest political party, and Claudia Dobles, an architect who leads a progressive coalition and previously served as first lady during her husband Carlos Alvarado’s 2018-2022 presidency. Both Ramos and Dobles are polling in the single digits and are viewed as the most likely challengers in a potential runoff if Fernandez fails to secure more than 40%.
Polls indicate that roughly a quarter of the country’s 3.7 million voters remain undecided. The largest bloc of undecided voters is concentrated among people aged 18-34 and in the coastal provinces of Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limon. Reflecting that sentiment, Yheison Ugarte, a 26-year-old deliveryman from downtown Limon, said: "People are tired of promises from all the governments, including this one even though the government has said things that are true like needing stronger laws to restore order." Limon has been identified as the Caribbean port city hardest hit by drug-related violence.
Security has been a dominant issue during Chaves’ term, with homicides rising to an all-time high and the administration facing multiple corruption investigations. Despite those developments, Chaves retains strong public approval: the University of Costa Rica’s CIEP polling recorded a 58% approval rating for the president.
Although Costa Rican law does not permit consecutive reelection, Fernandez has pledged to include Chaves within her administration and has framed her candidacy as the continuation of his mandate. Voting opened at 6 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) and was scheduled to remain open until 6 p.m., with early results expected at approximately 8:45 p.m.
Contextual notes: The election contest is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened public concern over security and dissatisfaction with political promises. Fernandez’s push for a legislative supermajority is central to her platform, and the distribution of undecided voters, particularly among younger and coastal communities, could be decisive if her lead narrows.