Laura Fernández Delgado

Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado (; born 4 July 1986) is a Costa Rican politician and political scientist who has served as the president of Costa Rica since 2026. As the presidential candidate of the Sovereign People's Party, Fernández won the 2026 presidential election. She previously served as the minister of national planning and economic policy from 2022 to 2025, as well as the minister of the presidency from 2024 to 2025.

Early life Fernández was born on 4 July 1986 in Esparza, in the coastal province of Puntarenas. She was raised in San Jose and studied politics and democratic governance at the University of Costa Rica. She is a Catholic.

Political career From 2008 to 2010, Fernández was a consultant for the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy's State Reform Program as a member of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GIZ). She became a civil servant in the ministry in 2010 and served as a modernization and dispatch advisor until 2014. Fernández was an advisor to the Legislative Assembly from 2014 to 2018 on matters regarding public spending, finance, income, and government reforms. During the 2018 Costa Rican presidential election, Fernández was one of vice presidential candidates.

In 2018, Fernández became a researcher at the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy, focusing on government cooperation, public employment, and administrative reform. From 2020 to 2021, she served as director of strategic planning for the municipality of Cartago, before returning to her role as a researcher at the ministry.

Presidency (2026–present) Election and presidential transition

On 29 July 2025, Fernández officially announced her presidential candidacy as a member of the Sovereign People's Party (PPSO). She presented herself as a continuation of Chaves' presidency, as Chaves is term limited, and as a supporter of Chavism. Fernández was one of twenty presidential candidates and one of five female candidates. She was elected president with 48.3% of the vote.

Her victory was congratulated by many Latin American leaders, the Prime Minister of Spain and the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Fernández resumed her role as Minister of the Presidency on 4 February.

Fernández would be sworn in on 8 May 2026 as the second female president of Costa Rica after Laura Chinchilla. She was sworn in before Yara Jiménez, president of the Legislative Assembly. Supporting the Chavista idea of a "Third Republic" in Costa Rica, she has pledged to reform the government, fight corruption, expand free enterprise, and promote trade, in addition to strengthening Costa Rica–Israel relations. She has pledged to build a 5,000 inmate mega-prison inspired by the Salvadoran model of Nayib Bukele.

She presented her cabinet on 5 May 2026 at Melico Salazar Theatre, and in which she included outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves as the new minister of presidency and finance.

Inauguration Fernandez Delgado was sworn in as President on 8 May 2026. Her inauguration took place in the National Stadium of Costa Rica and attended by multiple foreign officeholders and politicians, including Felipe VI, José Raúl Mulino, Luis Abinader, Nasry Asfura, José Antonio Kast, and Isaac Herzog, among others.

Cabinet

+ Ministers of the Fernández administration Ministry Minister Start of term End of term Ministry of the Presidency Rodrigo Chaves Robles 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship Manuel Tovar Rivera 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Public Security Gerald Campos Valverde 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Public Education José Leonardo Sánchez Hernández 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Health Alexander Sánchez Cabo 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy Carla Morales Rojas 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications Paula Bogantes Zamora 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Foreign Trade Indiana Trejos Gallo 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Environment and Energy Mónica Navarro del Valle 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Public Works and Transport Efraím Zeledón Leiva 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Labor and Social Security Roy Thompson Chacón 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Finance Rodrigo Chaves Robles 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Justice and Peace Gabriel Aguilar Vargas 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce María del Milagro Solórzano León 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Juan Gabriel Ramírez Guillén 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Culture and Youth Jorge Rodríguez Vives 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements Guillermo Carazo Ramírez 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Communication Arnold Zamora Miranda 8 May 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Human Development and Social Inclusion Yorleny León Marchena 8 May 2026 Incumbent

Political positions Fernández's political positions are described as right-wing populist. She self describes as liberal in economic matters and conservative in social matters.