Laura Fernández, the candidate of the right-wing Sovereign People’s Party (Pueblo Soberano), will be Costa Rica’s next president after securing a decisive first-round victory in the country’s general election, according to preliminary results from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
With about 96 % of polling stations reporting, the TSE’s provisional tally showed Fernández capturing 1,191,727 votes, or 48.3 %, comfortably above the 40 % threshold needed to win the presidency outright and avoid a runoff. Her nearest rival, Álvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party, trailed with roughly 825,041 votes (33.4 %). The election saw 3,611,182 votes cast out of 3,731,788 registered voters, representing a 69.1 % turnout.
Preliminary Presidential Results (TSE – Feb. 1, 2026)
| Party / Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pueblo Soberano – Laura Fernández | 1,191,727 | 48.30 % |
| National Liberation – Álvaro Ramos | 825,041 | 33.44 % |
| Citizen Agenda Coalition | 119,700 | 4.85 % |
| Broad Front | 92,826 | 3.76 % |
| Social Christian Unity | 68,732 | 2.79 % |
| Other parties | 106,321 | 6.86 % |
Source: TSE – Resultados provisionales, Feb. 1, 2026
The election marked a significant shift in Costa Rica’s political landscape, as Fernández, a protege of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, campaigned on a platform emphasizing security, economic change, and a continuation of Chaves’s policies.
In a victory speech in San José, Fernández told supporters that Costa Rica was entering a “new political era” and pledged to pursue deep reforms. “Change will be deep and irreversible,” she said, calling for broad transformations in governance and public policy.
🇨🇷 Right-wing political scientist Laura Fernandez has won Costa Rica's presidential election by a landslide, after promising to crack down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 2, 2026
➡️ https://t.co/GvfsvqApuk pic.twitter.com/XYv3RSBPAY
Fernández, 39, will be the second woman to serve as president of Costa Rica and is expected to assume office on May 8. Her term follows a four-year mandate marked by rising concerns over crime and security, issues that dominated the campaign and drove many voters toward her tough-on-crime messaging.
Preliminary figures also indicate that the Sovereign People’s Party is poised to win a significant bloc in the 57-seat Legislative Assembly, which could shape the incoming administration’s legislative agenda.
Opposition figures acknowledged Fernández’s victory late Sunday, with Ramos urging his supporters to uphold democratic norms and offering to serve as a constructive opposition.
The TSE’s preliminary results are subject to final verification and formal certification, but the current margins effectively rule out a second round. Costa Rica’s electoral authority has yet to issue a final act or certificate declaring Fernández president-elect, a formal step that typically follows completion of all counting and verification procedures.
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