Costa Rica’s Democracy Faces a New Test, But It Will Endure
The election of Laura Fernández extends Costa Rica’s populist experiment. Its democracy will weather it, for now, two experts write.
REACTION: Laura Fernández Wins Big in Costa Rica
The right-wing, tough-on-crime president-elect will have a legislative majority and promises “deep and irreversible” change.
Costa Rica: Meet the Candidates 2026
Public security tops voters’ concerns ahead of the February 1 election.
Costa Rica’s ‘Safe Haven’ Faces a Reckoning
The country is experiencing an unprecedented security crisis ahead of the February 2026 election.
Why Did Costa Rica Really Abolish Its Military?
Politics, not pacifism, led the country to eliminate its armed forces in a decision that still resonates today.
Rodrigo Chaves Brings Confrontational Leadership to Costa Rica
Clashes with the legislature and the press and high inflation haven’t hurt Chaves’s high approval, but will it last?
A Rocky Road Ahead for Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves
The former economy minister’s victory reflects political disaffection as inequality threatens the country’s stability.
Costa Rica’s Election: A Bad Day for Incumbents, but Some Hope Ahead
The next president will have an opportunity to be a true leader in Central America.
Meet the Candidates: Costa Rica
A runoff election pitted a former president against a technocrat with an anti-corruption angle.
Costa Rica’s “Before-and-After” Corruption Scandal Casts a Long Shadow
Attorney General Emilia Navas speaks with AQ on her efforts to restore faith in the justice system in the wake of Costa Rica’s “cementazo.”
Meet the Candidates: Costa Rica
An anti-establishment mood sees Costa Rica’s presidential candidates positioning themselves as agents of change.
Meet the Candidates: Costa Rica
An anti-establishment mood sees Costa Rica’s presidential candidates positioning themselves as agents of change.
10 Things to Do: San José, Costa Rica
Costa Rica, smaller than West Virginia, boasts over 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity, an environmental abundance that brings in over $2 billion in annual revenue from tourism. San José, the capital, is a convenient jumping-off place for trip to the country’s volcanoes, rainforests and pristine Pacific beaches — as well as an excellent introduction … Read more
Monday Memo: Guatemalan Protests—Costa Rican Discrimination—Chinese Investment—Guyana Election—Technology in Honduras
Demonstrators Call for Pérez Molina’s Resignation: Thousands of protestors marched across 13 cities in Guatemala on Saturday to call for President Otto Pérez Molina’s resignation. The protests came as a response to a customs tax fraud scandal uncovered by the Comisión Internacional contra la Impunidad en Guatemala (International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala—CICIG) in April … Read more
Monday Memo: Brazilian Corruption—Bolivian Opposition—Bolivia-Chile Dispute—Marijuana in Puerto Rico—Chemical Leak in Costa Rica
This week’s likely top stories: Former Brazilian president investigated; Opposition gains influence in Bolivia; ICJ hearing on Bolivia-Chile border dispute begins; Puerto Rico legalizes medical marijuana; Costa Rican coast suffers chemical spill. Report of an Inquiry into Lula Shocks Brazil: On Friday, Brazilians were shaken by news of a probe regarding possible influence-peddling by former … Read more
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