Laura Fernández Delgado
Laura Fernández Delgado | |
|---|---|
 Fernández in 2017 | |
| President-elect of Costa Rica | |
| Assuming office 8 May 2026 | |
| Vice President | Francisco Gamboa (elect) Douglas Soto (elect) |
| Succeeding | Rodrigo Chaves Robles |
| Minister of the Presidency of Costa Rica | |
| In office 22 June 2024 – 31 January 2025 | |
| President | Rodrigo Chaves Robles |
| Preceded by | Natalia Díaz Quintana |
| Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica | |
| In office 8 May 2022 – 8 January 2025 | |
| President | Rodrigo Chaves Robles |
| Preceded by | Pilar Garrido Gonzalo |
| Succeeded by | Marta Esquivel Rodríguez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado 4 July 1986 Puntarenas, Costa Rica |
| Party | PPSO (since 2025) |
| Other political affiliations | Christian Democratic Alliance (2018–2025) |
| Alma mater | University of Costa Rica |
| Occupation | Political scientist, politician |
Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado (born 4 July 1986) is a Costa Rican politician and political scientist who is the president-elect of Costa Rica after she won the 2026 general election as the presidential candidate of the Sovereign People's Party. She previously served as the minister of national planning and economic policy from 2022 to 2025 and the Minister of the Presidency from 2024 to 2025.
Early life
[edit]Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado was born on 4 July 1986 in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. She studied public politics and democratic governability at the University of Costa Rica.[1][2]
Political career
[edit]From 2008 to 2010, Fernández was a consultant for the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy's State Reform Program as a member of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GIZ). She became a civil servant within the ministry in 2010 and a modernization and dispatch advisor until 2014. Fernández was an advisor to the Legislative Assembly from 2014 to 2018 on matters regarding public spending, finance, income, and government reforms.[3] During the 2018 presidential election, Fernández was one of Mario Redondo's vice presidential candidates.[4]
In 2018, Fernández became a researcher for the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy. She researched government cooperation, public employment, and administrative reform. She was briefly the director of strategic planning for the municipality of Cartago from 2020 to 2021 before resuming her role as a researcher for the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy.[4] On 8 May 2022, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles appointed Fernández as the minister of national planning and economic policy. Chaves also appointed Fernández as Minister of the Presidency on 21 June 2024, succeeding Natalia Díaz Quintana. On 11 July 2024, she signed a decree establishing 30 July as a day to commemorate women's suffrage in Costa Rica. On 31 January 2025, Fernández resigned from her ministerial positions to be eligible to run as a presidential candidate in the 2026 presidential election.[5]
President-elect of Costa Rica
[edit]On 29 July 2025, Fernández officially announced her presidential candidacy as a member of the Sovereign People's Party (PPSO).[6] She presented herself as a continuation of Chaves's presidency, as Chaves is term limited, and as a supporter of Chavism.[1][7] Fernández was one of 20 presidential candidates and one of five female candidates.[8] She was elected president with 48.3% of the vote.[9]
Fernández will sworn in on 8 May 2026 as the second female president of Costa Rica after Laura Chinchilla.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Arias, Héctor (7 September 2025). "¿Quién es Laura Fernández? Edad, Biografía y Candidatura Presidencial 2026 en Costa Rica" [Who Is Laura Fernández? Age, Biography, and 2026 Presidential Candidate in Costa Rica]. Voces de Costa Rica (in Spanish).
- ^ "Laura Fernández: La Economista que Apuesta por un País Más Eficiente y Moderno" [Laura Fernández: The Economist Who Believes in a More Efficient and Modern Country]. Noticias Red CR (in Spanish). 16 October 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Laura Fernández Delgado: Perfil Académico y Profesional" [Laura Fernández Delgado: Academic and Professional Profile] (PDF). Supreme Electoral Court (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ a b Batista Márquez, Marilyn (20 November 2017). "A los 31 Años Aspira a Convertirse en Vice Presidenta de la República" [At 31 Years Old, She Aspires to Become Vice President of the Republic]. Revista Petra (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ Mora, Carlos (30 January 2025). "Laura Fernández Deja Presidencia Tras 7 Meses de Constantes Cuestionamientos" [Laura Fernández Leaves the Presidency After 7 Months of Constant Questioning]. CR Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Exministra Laura Fernández Oficializa su Candidatura Presidencial por el Chavismo" [Former Minister Laura Fernández Formalizes Her Presidential Candidacy for Chavism]. El País.cr (in Spanish). 29 July 2025. Archived from the original on 29 July 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Murillo, Álvaro (13 August 2025). "Una Exministra Leal, la Apuesta de Rodrigo Chaves en las Presidenciales en Costa Rica" [A Loyal Former Minister, Rodrigo Chaves's Gamble in the Costa Rican Presidential Election]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Estos son los 20 Candidatos a Presidente de Costa Rica para las Elecciones 2026" [These are the 20 Candidates for President of Costa Rica in the 2026 Elections]. Grupo de Diarios América (in Spanish). 1 October 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Conservative populist Laura Fernández wins Costa Rican presidency, preliminary results show". AP News. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ Muñoz-Ledo, Rocío (2 February 2026). "Laura Fernández asumirá en mayo como la segunda mujer presidenta de Costa Rica" [Laura Fernández will take office in May as Costa Rica's second female president] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2026.