Continuity for Costa Rica

Описание: In this episode of The LatinNews Podcast, we examine Costa Rica ahead of the first-round election on 1 February (and a runoff on 5 April if required), and why the campaign has been unusually low-intensity despite the stakes.

We discuss the fragmentation of Costa Rica’s party system, the weakening of traditional political identities (including PLN and the Social Christian tradition), and what “continuity” could look like through Laura Fernández, positioned as the continuity candidate aligned with President Rodrigo Chaves, who is constitutionally barred from immediate re-election.

Our guest is Ronald Alfaro Redondo, Professor of Political Science at the University of Costa Rica and a researcher at the State of the Nation programme. He explains why parties have struggled to mobilise voters, outlines the main opposition candidates, and assesses how security, the economy, environmental tensions (including the mining debate), and institutional conflict between the executive and other branches could shape the months ahead.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and guest
00:35 Costa Rica’s election timeline and continuity question
01:12 Why the campaign has been unusually quiet
02:17 Weak parties and eroding political identities
04:14 Fragmentation and the decline of traditional parties
05:44 Can Chaves’ popularity transfer to Laura Fernández?
07:42 Opposition field and main candidates
08:57 Foreign policy and external influence
10:00 Tariffs, US dependence, and China-Taiwan pressure
12:37 Economic performance: macro stability vs household reality
17:43 Tourism, cost pressures, and regional inequality
18:04 Environment vs mining: Crucitas and protected areas
22:42 Security and the homicide surge
24:25 Drug trafficking, local markets, and gang territorial disputes
26:17 “Bukele model”, prisons, and the limits of symbolic policy
29:22 Institutional conflict: executive vs legislature and judiciary
33:16 Continuity vs change and what to watch before February
35:13 Closing remarks

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