Costa Rica Election: Laura Fernández Wins Presidency

Right-wing candidate Laura Fernandez has declared victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election after preliminary results gave her a commanding lead and her closest challenger conceded defeat.

Fernandez Claims Victory, Promises “Deep Change”

The move came early Monday after the Supreme Electoral Tribunal reported that votes tallied from 81 percent of polling stations showed the candidate of the Sovereign People’s Party winning 48.9 percent of the vote. Fernandez promised “deep and irreversible change” and announced that Costa Rica was entering a new political era in her victory speech.

The Central American nation’s second republic, which began after the 1948 civil war, “is a thing of the past,” she said. “It’s up to us to build the third republic,” Fernandez told flag-waving supporters.

The 39-year-old politician also pledged to lead a nation that is “respectful and firm on the rule of law”. She added that any law that is ineffective, obsolete, or hindering development would be modified or repealed.

Ramos Concedes, Pledges Constructive Opposition

Fernandez’s closest challenger, economist Alvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party, obtained 33 percent of the vote and conceded on Sunday night. Ramos pledged to lead a “constructive opposition,” but one that would not let those in power get away with anything. “In democracy dissent is allowed, criticizing is allowed,” he said.

Claudia Dobles, a progressive architect and former first lady, received just shy of 5 percent of the vote.

Election Results and Mandate

Fernandez needed at least 40 percent to win the election outright and avoid a run-off on April 5. She is the handpicked successor of incumbent President Rodrigo Chaves and campaigned on continuing his tough security policies.

She has pledged to complete a maximum-security mega-prison that Chaves started to build in August, saying it would “isolate leaders of organised crime”, cutting them off from the outside world. Fernandez has also advocated for mandatory prison labour and stricter criminal sentencing.

Some 3.7 million Costa Ricans were eligible to vote in Sunday’s elections. Voters also cast ballots for the 57-seat National Assembly.

Security Concerns Dominated Campaign

Al Jazeera’s Julia Galiano, reporting from the capital San Jose, said the main issue during the campaign was security, with homicides reaching an all-time high in 2023. “Without a doubt, the increasing insecurity was the main issue for everyone that we spoke to here. Costa Rica has long been considered as the Switzerland of Central America. It’s a nation known for its long history of a stable democracy,” she said.

Galiano noted that Fernandez’s tough line on security has prompted worry among the opposition, who fear the changes her government will make will erode the democratic nature of the country. However, Fernandez stated in her victory speech that her government would remain democratic and would not turn authoritarian.

Legislative Outlook

Fernandez’s party is projected to win a majority of 30 seats in the 57-seat Congress, up from its current eight seats, but short of a “supermajority” that would give it greater powers.