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Laura Fernández Delgado declared victory in the Costa Rican presidential election on Sunday after preliminary results showed her Sovereign People’s Party leading the national vote with just over 48% support.
The National Liberation Party followed in second place with approximately 33% of the vote, according to the latest official tally from Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which oversees and certifies national elections.
“Change will be deep and irreversible,” Fernández said at her victory party in San Jose, according to a translation of her remarks from Reuters.
A former government minister, she is the handpicked successor of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, who is constitutionally prohibited from seeking re-election.
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Presidential candidate Laura Fernandez of the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO) reacts onstage as early results show her leading the general election in San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 1, 2026. (Raquel Cunha/Reuters)
Fernández, 39, is set to become Costa Rica’s second female president, after Laura Chinchilla, who served from 2010 to 2014.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday congratulated Fernández on her victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election, emphasizing the United States’ commitment to working closely with her incoming administration.
“Under her leadership, we are confident Costa Rica will continue to advance shared priorities to include combatting narco-trafficking, ending illegal immigration to the United States, promoting cybersecurity and secure telecommunications, and strengthening economic ties,” Rubio said.
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A man wearing a MAGA cap reacts as supporters of presidential candidate Laura Fernandez of the Sovereign People Party (PPSO) wait for her address after polls closed in the general election in San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 1, 2026. (Raquel Cunha/Reuters)
Reuters reported that Fernández, who is married and has a young daughter, has built her political profile around conservative Catholic values and a strong emphasis on family, helping her gain traction among Costa Rica’s expanding evangelical electorate.
She has publicly expressed admiration for Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, and his tough stance on crime, signaling openness to enhanced security measures in violence-prone areas.
Costa Rica’s presidential candidate Laura Fernandez of the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO) greets supporters during a campaign rally ahead of Sunday’s election in San Jose, Costa Rica, Jan. 24, 2026. (Mayela Lopez/Reuters)
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Fernández has also said she would complete construction of a maximum-security prison modeled on El Salvador’s CECOT facility as part of a broader strategy to address serious crime.
The president-elect is scheduled to be sworn in on May 8.
Fox News’ Emma Bussey contributed to this report.