Costa Rica: Meet the Candidates 2026
By
Miranda Mazariegos
Public security tops voters’ concerns ahead of the February 1 election.
Over 3.7 million Costa Ricans are expected to elect a president, two vice presidents, and all 57 seats in the legislature on February 1. If no presidential candidate wins at least 40% of the vote, the two leading contenders will advance to a runoff on April 5. Since 2014, no presidential candidate in Costa Rica has secured the necessary 40% of votes in the first round, so most candidates are expecting a second round. A rising crime rate, strain on the education and health care systems, as well as the state of the economy and unemployment, are among the main concerns on citizens’...
Read this article on the Americas Quarterly website. | Subscribe to AQ.
