Who is the populist conservative president-elect in Costa Rica?

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Ashley CarnahanFebruary 3, 2026 at 01:40 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Laura Fernández Delgado of the Sovereign People’s Party won Costa Rica's presidential election with just over 48% of the vote. The former government minister and handpicked successor to outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves will become Costa Rica’s second female president. Fernández, 39, campaigned on conservative Catholic values, a strong emphasis on family, and a tough-on-crime platform, expressing admiration for El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele's security policies. She plans to address crime by completing a maximum-security prison. Marco Rubio congratulated Fernández, emphasizing the US's commitment to working with her administration on issues like combating narco-trafficking and ending illegal immigration. Fernández is scheduled to be sworn in on May 8.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

San Jose 50% El Salvador ×250% Laura Chinchilla 50% Marco Rubio 60% Nayib Bukele 60% Supreme Electoral Tribunal 60% United States ×260% National Liberation Party 60% Rodrigo Chaves 70% Sovereign People’s Party 70% Laura Fernández Delgado ×590% Costa Rica ×690%

Keywords

laura fernández 100% costa rica 100% presidential election 90% conservative 80% tough-on-crime 70% violence 60% security measures 50% catholic values 50% narco-trafficking 40% illegal immigration 40%