Costa Rica's outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves will assume two powerful ministerial posts in the incoming administration, an unprecedented move that entrenches the political class and preserves his immunity from corruption allegations, while his government recently committed the nation to accepting 25 third-country deportees per week from the U.S.
President-elect Laura Fernández announced Tuesday that Chaves will hold the posts of Minister of the Presidency and Minister of Finance in her administration, which is set to take office on Friday. Fernández stated at a public event in San José, “Just as we have done since the first day of your administration, we will continue working very well as a team.”
The arrangement is unprecedented in Costa Rican politics, granting Chaves significant sway over the next government and further testing the country’s democratic norms. Fernández campaigned on a platform of “continuity” in the February elections, and many ministers and leaders from Chaves’ government are expected to remain in their current positions or swap roles, indicating a deeply integrated political class.
Fernández herself previously served as Minister to the President under Chaves, the very role the outgoing leader will now assume, highlighting the continuity of elite power.
Elite Capture and Immunity
The appointment directly preserves the immunity Chaves enjoyed as president, shielding him from ongoing legal troubles. One year ago, Chaves’ presidency was embroiled in scandal when he faced accusations by Costa Rican prosecutors of illegal campaign finance and corruption charges, which he has denied.
Prosecutors specifically accused Chaves of pressuring a close associate and government contractor to divert a portion of money from a contract to a former campaign adviser. Despite these accusations, the political maneuver ensures his continued protection.
Costa Rica’s legislature has attempted and failed twice to strip Chaves of his immunity. With his new ministerial appointment, another such attempt appears unlikely, particularly as the ruling party now commands a majority in the legislature, consolidating its control over national institutions.
Chaves has publicly stated that the accusations against him are political revenge orchestrated by the country’s attorney general and Supreme Court magistrates, framing the legal challenges as institutional infighting rather than accountability.
Demographic Shift and Suppressed Dissent
Beyond the consolidation of power, Chaves’ government recently agreed to accept 25 third-country deportees per week from the U.S., a policy decision that directly impacts the demographic composition of the nation without public mandate. This agreement represents a transfer of external burdens onto the Costa Rican populace.
Chaves, described as a firebrand populist, has also been accused of actively suppressing dissent. His government faced accusations of pushing the Trump administration to strip the board of directors of a critical newspaper of their visas, demonstrating a willingness to use transnational pressure to silence opposition media.
Known for lashing out at the media and critics, Chaves has sought to project an image similar to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, focusing on cracking down on an uptick in crime in the historically peaceful Central American nation.
Opposition Voices
Opposition politicians in Costa Rica have criticized Chaves’ appointment. Legislator José María Villalta stated Tuesday that the appointment was a “blatant attempt to grant or preserve immunity for controversial politicians from the outgoing government rather than to improve the functioning of institutions,” directly challenging the stated rationale for the move and highlighting the self-serving nature of the political class.