Laura Fernández was sworn in as the president of Costa Rica on Friday, May 8, in a ceremony held in San José [1, 2].
The inauguration marks a shift toward aggressive security policies to combat a surge in narcotrafficking and violence that has infiltrated state institutions [3, 4].
Fernández, a right-wing conservative politician, campaigned on a platform of "mano dura," or iron fist, to address the country's security crisis [3, 5]. During her address, she vowed to implement a strategy similar to the crackdowns seen in El Salvador [6].
"We will wage a war on crime," Fernández said [1].
She also emphasized her commitment to targeting drug cartels. "Prometo aplicar una mano dura contra el narcotráfico," she said [3].
The new president entered office following a decisive victory on Feb. 1, 2026 [4]. Fernández won 81.24 percent of the vote [6], far exceeding the 40 percent threshold required to avoid a runoff election [6].
Her administration will lead the country for a four-year term [2]. The focus of her first term is expected to center on restoring order, and purging criminal influence from government agencies [3, 4].
The transition comes as Costa Rica faces increasing pressure from international drug trafficking routes, a challenge that has historically been less severe than in neighboring Central American nations.
“"We will wage a war on crime."”
The election of Laura Fernández signifies a pivot in Costa Rican governance toward the 'mano dura' model of security. By adopting tactics similar to those used in El Salvador, the administration is prioritizing immediate crime reduction and state authority over traditional liberal security frameworks to counter the growing influence of narcotrafficking.
