Laura Fernández Delgado Wins Costa Rica’s Presidential Election

Laura Fernández Delgado has claimed victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election held on Sunday. Preliminary results indicate that her Sovereign People’s Party garnered over 48 percent of the national vote.

As per the official count from Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the National Liberation Party finished in second place, receiving around 33% of the votes.

“The changes will be profound and irreversible,” Fernández stated at a celebratory gathering in San José, as reported by Reuters. As a former cabinet minister, she was the chosen successor of outgoing President Rodrigo Chávez, who cannot seek re-election due to constitutional restrictions.

Costa Rica’s Shift Towards Tougher Crime Policies

At 39, Fernández is poised to become the second female president of Costa Rica, following Laura Chinchilla’s presidency from 2010 to 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Fernández on her win and reiterated the United States’ commitment to collaborating closely with her administration. “I believe under her guidance, Costa Rica will continue addressing our mutual priorities like combating drug trafficking and enhancing cybersecurity,” he remarked.

Interestingly, Fernández has built her political identity around conservative Catholic values while focusing on family, which she suggests has resonated well with the growing evangelical population in Costa Rica.

Her admiration for El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, especially his bold approach to crime, has also been noted. She appears open to implementing stricter security measures in a region grappling with escalating violence.

Additionally, she plans to complete the construction of a maximum-security prison similar to El Salvador’s CECOT facility as part of her strategy to tackle serious crime.

The official inauguration of the new president is set for May 8th.