Laura Fernandez has won Costa Rica’s presidential election after securing just over 40% of the vote, enough to clinch an outright victory and avoid a runoff.
Preliminary results released by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal confirmed that the ruling Sovereign People Party (PPSO) candidate crossed the constitutional threshold required for a first-round win.
Born in 1986, Fernandez previously served as Costa Rica’s Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy between 2022 and 2025. Throughout her campaign, she emphasized institutional reforms, a strong anti-corruption drive, and expanded infrastructure development—key promises that helped consolidate voter support, as reported by Okay News.
The election drew participation from about 3.73 million registered voters, with 20 candidates contesting the presidency. Under Costa Rica’s electoral law, candidates who fail to reach 40% face a runoff, but Fernandez’s result makes the April second round unnecessary, officially ushering her in as the country’s next president.
