Costa Rica elects tough-talking right-winger for president

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseFebruary 2, 2026 at 08:06 AM

AI Summary

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Laura Fernandez, a right-wing political scientist from Costa Rica's Sovereign People's party, won the country's presidential election on Sunday with a landslide victory. She secured 48.94% of the vote, surpassing the ruling party's threshold to avoid a run-off. Fernandez's nearest rival, economist Alvaro Ramos, conceded defeat after results showed her leading by a significant margin. The election took place in Costa Rica, and Fernandez's victory is seen as a result of her promise to crack down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade. Fernandez is a protege of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, who had previously held the office. The election results were announced with Fernandez's supporters celebrating around the country, waving flags bearing the colors of the Costa Rican flag.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sovereign People's party 50% Rodrigo Chaves ×260% Alvaro Ramos ×270% Costa Rica ×280% Laura Fernandez ×490%

Keywords

presidential election 90% costa rica election 90% laura fernandez 80% right-wing politics 80% cocaine trade 70% sovereign people's party 60%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.10

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

85%

Geographic Perspective

Costa Rica

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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presidential election costa rica election laura fernandez right-wing politics cocaine trade sovereign people's party

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