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Laura Fernández inaugurated; ex-President Chaves becomes finance minister with immunity.

5/9/2026

36 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves will serve as minister of the presidency and finance, gaining legal immunity.
Laura Fernández was sworn in as Costa Rica's president in San José on May 8, 2026.
Fernández's party captured 31 of 57 Assembly seats, a majority but below the 38 votes required for constitutional reforms.
The administration pledged tougher crime policies inspired by El Salvador, planning U.S. cooperation on migration and law enforcement.

History

Historical Context

In June 2019 Nayib Bukele took office, and his Nuevas Ideas party won a 61-seat supermajority in the 84-member Legislative Assembly in the February 2021 elections. That dominance enabled the March 2021 passage of an immunity law shielding Bukele and his cabinet from prosecution, echoing earlier moves to rewrite term limits and appoint judges. The shift has sparked regional debate over democratic safeguards.

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Story summary

Outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves will serve as minister of the presidency and finance, gaining legal immunity.
Laura Fernández was sworn in as Costa Rica's president in San José on May 8, 2026.
Fernández's party captured 31 of 57 Assembly seats, a majority but below the 38 votes required for constitutional reforms.
The administration pledged tougher crime policies inspired by El Salvador, planning U.S. cooperation on migration and law enforcement.

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