Conservative politician Laura Fernandez has won Costa Rica's presidential election, becoming the Central American nation's second female president. With 94% of votes counted, Fernandez secured 48.3% of the vote, surpassing the 40% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Her Sovereign People's Party is also projected to win a majority in Congress, increasing its presence from eight to 30 seats out of 57.
Fernandez, a former chief of staff to outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, campaigned on a platform of security and stability, promising a "deep and irreversible" transformation of Costa Rica's political landscape. She has vowed to maintain tough policies against crime and corruption while including Chaves in her administration.
Her victory reflects a broader shift toward conservative leadership across Latin America, driven in part by voter concern over crime and corruption. Fernandez's main rivals lagged far behind, with economist Alvaro Ramos earning roughly one-third of the vote and former first lady Claudia Dobles receiving under 5%.
A central plank of Fernandez's agenda is combating drug-related violence, which has surged in recent years. She has pledged to emulate the hardline approach of El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, including harsher prison sentences, the construction of a maximum-security facility, and targeted state-of-emergency measures in high-crime areas...