Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado

Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado was one of five women among the twenty candidates who contested Costa Rica’s presidential election on February 1, 2026. She ran as the candidate of the Sovereign People Party and won the election in the first round, receiving enough support to surpass Costa Rica’s 40% threshold and avoid a runoff. She later took office as President of Costa Rica in May 2026, becoming the second woman in the country’s history to hold the presidency.

Born in Puntarenas in 1986, Fernández spent her early childhood in the rural community of El Barón de Esparza, where she grew up around farmland, cattle, and crops before her family later moved to Pavas in San José. Fernández later studied political science at the University of Costa Rica and built much of her professional career in public administration, national planning, and government policy. Before launching her presidential campaign, she served in senior positions in the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves. Her experience included work as Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy and later as Minister of the Presidency, roles that placed her at the center of government coordination, institutional management, and public-sector reform.

Fernández earned both a licentiate degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Democratic Governance from the University of Costa Rica. Her professional background was therefore closely tied to state administration and policy implementation before she moved into electoral politics.

Fernandez’s presidential campaign placed strong emphasis on public security and organized crime. Fernández supported a tougher response to drug trafficking and criminal networks, including stronger investigative and police capacity, expanded prison infrastructure, and measures aimed at increasing the state’s ability to respond to areas experiencing severe violence.

A second major focus of her campaign was state reform and economic modernization. She pledged to continue many of the reforms associated with the Chaves administration, including reducing administrative barriers, improving government efficiency, modernizing public institutions, and encouraging investment and economic growth. Her broader message centered on strengthening executive capacity and making the Costa Rican state more efficient and responsive.