Preliminary, partial results put Costa Rican president's handpicked successor on verge of presidency

Описание: (2 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY
ASSOCIATED PRESS -

San José , Costa Rica - 02 February 2026
1. Supporters celebrating
2. Presidential candidate Laura Fernández at lectern
3. People celebrate
4. Laura Fernández
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laura Fernández, presidential candidate with a majority in the preliminary results of the election in Costa Rica:
"President-elect Laura Fernández Delgado is a committed democrat (crowd cheering 'Laura, Laura'). I am a server and a defender of freedom, life, and family. I believe in people, I respect the dignity of work, which is enhanced by private property, and my future government will have only one purpose: to strengthen the rule of law in service to Costa Rican families."
6. Various Laura Fernández celebrating with supporters on stage
7. Fire works on top of skyscraper
STORYLINE:
Preliminary and partial results showed the Costa Rican president’s handpicked successor poised to win the presidency in a crowded field after Sunday's election.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal reported that with votes from 88.4% of polling places tallied, conservative populist Laura Fernández of the Sovereign People's Party had 48.5% of the vote.

Her closest challenger was economist Álvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party with 33.3%.

At least 40% of the total vote is required to win the presidential election in the first round. Otherwise, the top two candidates will go to a runoff on April 5.

Addressing cheering crowds at the end of the electoral night, Laura Fernández, who presented herself to her supporters as president-elect, said she was a "committed democrat."

"I am a server and a defender of freedom, life, and family. I believe in people, I respect the dignity of work, which is enhanced by private property, and my future government will have only one purpose: to strengthen the rule of law in service to Costa Rican families."

His opponent Alvaro Ramos conceded Sunday night and pledged to lead a “constructive opposition,” but one that would not let those in power get away with anything.

“In democracy dissent is allowed, criticizing is allowed,” he said.

Fernández campaigned on continuing the policies of the term-limited Chaves. 

The historically peaceful Central American nation’s crime surge in recent years could be a deciding factor for many voters.

Some fault Chaves' presidency for failing to bring those rates down, but many see his confrontational style as the best chance for Costa Rica to tame the violence.

Fernández was previously Chaves’ minister of national planning and economic policy and, more recently, his minister of the presidency.

She is Chaves' favored successor and was considered the frontrunner headed into Sunday's election. 

Costa Ricans also voted for the 57-seat National Assembly. Chaves’ party is expected to make gains, but perhaps not achieve the supermajority he and Fernández have called for, which would allow their party to choose Supreme Court magistrates, for example.

Twenty contenders were seeking the presidency, but no candidate other than Fernández and Ramos reached 5% in the preliminary and partial results.

AP Video by Berny Araya



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