Costa Rica’s President Fernandez Takes Office with Congressional Majority, Promises Hard‑Line Crime Campaign

TL;DR: President Laura Fernandez, backed by a 31‑seat majority in Congress, has pledged an aggressive crackdown on organized crime and announced plans for a maximum‑security prison modeled on El Salvador’s CECOT.

Context Laura Fernandez was sworn in as Costa Rica’s president after winning the February 1 election that unseated Rodrigo Chaves. At 39, she leads the right‑wing Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO), which captured 31 of the 57 seats in the single‑chamber legislature, giving her an absolute majority. The new administration signals continuity with the United States, appointing second vice president Douglas Soto as ambassador to Washington and welcoming U.S. special envoy Kristi Noem at the inauguration.

Key Facts Fernandez’s inaugural speech framed crime as a national emergency. She described the upcoming effort as “a war without quarter, a heavy‑handed war against organised crime.” The pledge follows a surge in drug‑trafficking routes that have turned Costa Rica into a transit hub for shipments bound for the United States. To support the crackdown, she introduced security minister Gerald Campos and announced the construction of a maximum‑security prison modeled on El Salvador’s anti‑terrorism CECOT centre, a facility that previously held hundreds of Venezuelan deportees without trial. The prison plan aligns with a March agreement to accept non‑citizens deported from the U.S., a policy critics say risks stranding vulnerable migrants in harsh conditions.

What It Means With an absolute legislative majority, Fernandez can pass sweeping reforms to the judiciary and security laws without needing opposition support. The U.S. alignment suggests potential access to American security assistance, while the El Salvador‑style prison signals a shift toward more punitive measures. Rights groups warn that rapid implementation could bypass due‑process safeguards, raising concerns about human‑rights violations. The next legislative session will test whether the PPSO can translate its majority into concrete policy, and observers will watch for any U.S. funding or training tied to the new security agenda.