Polls have officially opened in Costa Rica's general election, marking a pivotal moment for the centre-right populist government seeking to extend its rule. The country is grappling with high levels of drug-fuelled violence, which has left many residents feeling frustrated and disillusioned.
At the forefront of the election is Laura Fernandez, President Rodrigo Chaves' protégée and former chief of staff. She leads in the polls, holding over 40% of the vote, enough to secure an outright win and avoid a potential April 5 run-off. Fernandez has promised to continue Chaves' hardline security policies and anti-establishment message.
Her main opponents, Alvaro Ramos, a centrist economist from Costa Rica's oldest party, and Claudia Dobles, an architect from a progressive coalition and the wife of former president Carlos Alvarado, trail behind her in the polls. Despite their lower support, Ramos and Dobles could still compete in a potential runoff if Fernandez falls short.
Fernandez is urging voters to hand her 40 seats in Costa Rica's 57-seat Legislative Assembly, giving her a supermajority that would allow her to push through constitutional reforms. The current government holds just eight seats and has blamed congressional gridlock for blocking its agenda.
Polls show that nearly a quarter of the country's 3.7 million voters remain undecided, with many in their teens and twenties from coastal provinces feeling particularly uncertain. In Limon, one of the hardest-hit areas by drug violence, residents like Yheison Ugarte express frustration with the government's inability to address the issue.
Despite Chaves' unpopularity over homicides during his term and ongoing corruption investigations, he remains popular among voters, with a 58% approval rating. Fernandez has positioned herself as the continuation of Chaves' mandate, including him in her government.
At the forefront of the election is Laura Fernandez, President Rodrigo Chaves' protégée and former chief of staff. She leads in the polls, holding over 40% of the vote, enough to secure an outright win and avoid a potential April 5 run-off. Fernandez has promised to continue Chaves' hardline security policies and anti-establishment message.
Her main opponents, Alvaro Ramos, a centrist economist from Costa Rica's oldest party, and Claudia Dobles, an architect from a progressive coalition and the wife of former president Carlos Alvarado, trail behind her in the polls. Despite their lower support, Ramos and Dobles could still compete in a potential runoff if Fernandez falls short.
Fernandez is urging voters to hand her 40 seats in Costa Rica's 57-seat Legislative Assembly, giving her a supermajority that would allow her to push through constitutional reforms. The current government holds just eight seats and has blamed congressional gridlock for blocking its agenda.
Polls show that nearly a quarter of the country's 3.7 million voters remain undecided, with many in their teens and twenties from coastal provinces feeling particularly uncertain. In Limon, one of the hardest-hit areas by drug violence, residents like Yheison Ugarte express frustration with the government's inability to address the issue.
Despite Chaves' unpopularity over homicides during his term and ongoing corruption investigations, he remains popular among voters, with a 58% approval rating. Fernandez has positioned herself as the continuation of Chaves' mandate, including him in her government.
So I've been thinking... Costa Rica's election reminds me of the old diagram I drew on my board 
about the butterfly effect . It's like, one small change (like a new president) can make a big ripple effect on the country 
. And now with Fernandez leading in the polls, it feels like she's trying to push through some big changes 
. But what about the undecided voters? Like, they're 25% of the population 
! That's a lot of people who are still thinking about what to do. I wonder if Ramos and Dobles can win them over with their ideas 
. And on the other side, Chaves' approval rating is pretty high 
. Maybe Fernandez is trying too hard to fit into his shoes 
. Anyway, this election is going to be super interesting 
!
- it's like people here are so fed up with the situation that they're hoping someone new comes along and makes things worse just because it's a change 
but I'm not sure about it 
. The fact that she's promising more of the same from her prez boss, Rodrigo Chaves, just shows me that there's still a lot of loyalty among voters 
.
.
. Will Fernandez get her supermajority? Can Chaves' unpopularity catch up with him? The suspense is killing me 
!
! It's like, you gotta wonder how someone can win with over 40% of the vote, right? 
I'm not sure about Laura Fernandez being the best fit for the job... she seems kinda stuck on repeating Chaves' policies without bringing any real changes. 
. It's wild how one person can cause so much harm to an entire community. The fact that nearly a quarter of voters are undecided is kinda worrying 
. What if they don't have enough info or just aren't getting the right messages?
. Costa Rica deserves better than just 'more of the same' 
. We gotta keep pushing for change, even if it's hard 
.
but also kinda concerning idk if the country is ready for a single-party government yet 
according to polls, nearly a quarter of voters are still undecided which is like, a major red flag 
anyhoo, Fernandez promises to continue Chaves' security policies but Ramos and Dobles are giving her some serious competition 
will be super interesting to see how this all plays out 
. The way they're dealing with this drug violence is super sketchy. Like, what's the point of having a president if they can't even keep their own country safe? 
, but at the same time, I'm not sure if she's ready to handle all that power. And those undecided voters, man... it's like, half the country is still on the fence! 
What do u think gonna happen in Apr?