Costa Rica Elects Laura Fernandez, Vowing Constitutional Overhaul and Crime Crackdown

By Alvaro Murillo and Alexander Villegas

SAN JOSE, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Costa Ricans have chosen Laura Fernandez as their next president, entrusting the 39-year-old former minister with a mandate to deepen the populist transformation begun by her predecessor, Rodrigo Chaves. Her victory solidifies a political project that promises to rewrite the nation's social contract in response to soaring crime and institutional fatigue.

Fernandez, who served as Chaves's planning minister and later his chief of staff, will now steer the country toward controversial constitutional reforms and the suspension of certain civil liberties in high-crime zones. Her rise reflects a regional trend where voters, weary of violence and political stagnation, are turning to strong, security-focused leaders.

"Few people know the state like she does — she knows where the knots are," said lawmaker Pilar Cisneros, a key architect of the ruling movement, dismissing opposition claims that Fernandez is merely a stand-in for Chaves. "She will be the president, but she would be foolish not to show she has Don Rodrigo's backing. She is loyal to our political project."

Fernandez's campaign blended a conservative, family-oriented message with a theatrical, rally-loving persona, helping her consolidate support from both Catholic and growing evangelical blocs. She has openly expressed admiration for El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, vowing to complete a Bukele-style mega-prison and enact states of emergency to dismantle criminal networks.

Declaring victory before supporters in San Jose, Fernandez framed her win as a historic break. "Change will be deep and irreversible," she announced. "The second republic [established after the 1948 civil war] is a thing of the past. It's up to us to build the third republic."

She will become Costa Rica's second female president, following Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014). Chinchilla has emerged as a fierce critic of the current government, labeling its approach a "predictable script" of regional authoritarianism and calling Fernandez "rude and populist" and "a bad copy of the president."

Analysis & Reaction

Fernandez's election is set to test the resilience of Costa Rica's democratic institutions. Her proposed emergency powers, while popular among citizens gripped by fear of drug-related violence, have raised concerns among legal scholars and human rights advocates about potential overreach.

Reuters spoke to several citizens for their views:

"Finally, someone with the courage to act! The old ways have failed us completely. If limiting some freedoms in dangerous areas is what it takes to save our children, so be it," said Marco Rojas, a small business owner in San Jose, his voice charged with emotion.

In contrast, Dr. Elena Vargas, a constitutional law professor at the University of Costa Rica, offered a measured, concerned perspective: "This is a pivotal moment. The proposed reforms and emergency measures must undergo rigorous legislative and judicial scrutiny. We must ensure the tools to fight crime do not permanently weaken the democracy we've built."

Offering a sharp, critical take, Carmen Soto, a journalist and political commentator, was blunt: "This isn't a new republic; it's a dangerous pantomime. Fernandez is not a leader—she's a loyalist executing a pre-written plan that centralizes power and scapegoats liberties. We're trading our democratic soul for a false promise of security."

Gabriel Mendez, a political analyst based in Heredia, provided broader context: "Her victory is less about personal charisma and more about the powerful Chaves political machine and a electorate desperate for results. The real challenge begins now: governing a polarized society and delivering on immense expectations."

(Reporting by Alvaro Murillo and Alexander Villegas; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Lincoln Feast.)