Costa Rica Transition Day: Laura Fernández Begins 4-Year Term
Laura Fernández toma posesión as Costa Rica’s 50th president on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 11:00 local time in the Estadio Nacional, with delegations from 71 countries confirmed including King Felipe VI of Spain, Panamá’s José Raúl Mulino, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, and possibly Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves Robles will stay in the executive as Minister of Presidencia and Hacienda, an unusual double role announced May 5 alongside the rest of the cabinet at the Teatro Melico Salazar. Pueblo Soberano holds 31 of 57 Asamblea seats, the largest single-party majority since 1990, giving Fernández a four-year governing margin Chaves never had.
Key Points
— Inauguration Friday May 8, 2026 at 11:00 in the Estadio Nacional in San José.
— Fernández won February 1 with 48.3% of the vote, becoming the second female president after Laura Chinchilla.
— Rodrigo Chaves will be Minister of Presidencia and Hacienda, both roles concurrently.
— 71 country delegations confirmed; Felipe VI, Mulino, Noboa attending in person.
— Pueblo Soberano holds 31 of 57 Asamblea seats, first single-party majority since 1990.
The Cabinet of “Continuismo”
The Rio Times, the Latin American financial news outlet, reports that Fernández unveiled her 19-ministry cabinet at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar on May 5, framing it as a continuation of “el equipo que no afloja” rather than a new direction. Six ministers stay in their current posts, two rotate, and nine are new. First Vice-President Francisco Gamboa Soto previously served as Chaves’s Minister of Economy; Second Vice-President Douglas Soto Campos will double as Costa Rica’s ambassador to Washington at “a moment when relations with the US are key”, in Fernández’s words.
The biggest single move is the recycling of Rodrigo Chaves into the executive as Minister of Presidencia with concurrent control of Hacienda. The arrangement preserves Chaves’s political influence, fiscal control, and judicial immunity while Fernández formally holds the presidency. Chaves himself called the option “interesantísima” in February, framing it as a way to “keep serving the country” after his term-limited single mandate.
Cabinet Headlines
Manuel Tovar Rivera moves from Comercio Exterior to Relaciones Exteriores y Culto, becoming foreign minister at a moment of reset with Washington, while Justice Minister Gerald Campos Valverde takes over Seguridad Pública. Yorleny León retains the IMAS social-aid agency, and Marco Acuña stays at Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social. New names include María del Milagro Solórzano at Economy, Industry and Commerce, and Juan Gabriel Ramírez Guillén at Agriculture.
71 Country Delegations and the Inauguration Day
May 8 will be a national holiday for the public sector except for emergency, hospital, and security personnel, with the budget for the ceremony fixed at ₡100 million by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. King Felipe VI of Spain leads the European delegation, with Panamá’s José Raúl Mulino and Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa also flying in, while possible attendees include Javier Milei of Argentina, Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Israeli President Isaac Herzog ends a 4-day Central America tour at the inauguration after passing through Panamá.
Foreign ministers from Nicaragua, Uruguay, Perú, and Argentina also attend, along with vice-ministers from the United States, Colombia, and México. Costa Rica’s outgoing canciller Arnoldo André confirmed the figures Tuesday and noted that delegations begin arriving from May 6 onward, with names of specific delegation members kept confidential for security reasons. The CIEP-UCR poll released May 6 showed Chaves leaving with 64% approval and 73% of respondents expecting the Fernández government will improve the country’s situation.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Inauguration date and venue | May 8, 11:00 — Estadio Nacional |
| Election win | 48.3% on Feb 1, no runoff |
| Pueblo Soberano seats | 31 of 57 (54%) |
| Chaves’s new role | Min. Presidencia + Hacienda |
| Country delegations confirmed | 71 |
| Inauguration budget | ₡100M (~US$190K) |
| Chaves end-of-term approval | 64% (CIEP-UCR May 6) |
| Public expectation new gov. | 73% expect improvement |
Connected Coverage
For broader regional context, see our coverage of the Lula-Trump White House meeting and US-Latin America policy backdrop and our analysis of the Banxico rate decision and Mexican monetary signals across the region.
What Happens Next
- Friday May 8, 11:00: Inauguration ceremony at the Estadio Nacional with foreign delegations and full cabinet swearing-in.
- Week of May 11: First gabinete meetings, focus on inseguridad and crime as 50% of citizens’ top concern.
- June 2026: SICA Secretary General terna expected from the new Fernández government after the April voting reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Laura Fernández take office?
Laura Fernández toma posesión as president of Costa Rica on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 11:00 local time in the Estadio Nacional in San José, becoming the country’s 50th president and second female president after Laura Chinchilla. The ceremony includes the formal swearing-in of her 19-minister cabinet, with delegations from 71 countries confirmed in attendance. May 8 is a public-sector holiday in Costa Rica except for emergency services.
Why is Rodrigo Chaves staying as a minister?
Outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves accepted the role of Minister of Presidencia with a concurrent assignment as Minister of Hacienda, both roles announced May 5. The arrangement maintains his political influence, fiscal control, and judicial immunity inside the new government while preserving the “continuismo” framing of the Fernández project. Chaves leaves with a 64% approval rating per the CIEP-UCR May 6 survey and was the chief campaign asset behind Fernández’s 48.3% February 1 victory.
Which countries are sending delegations?
71 countries have confirmed delegations to the May 8 inauguration. Heads of state attending include King Felipe VI of Spain, Panamá’s José Raúl Mulino, and Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, with possible attendance from Javier Milei (Argentina), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Foreign ministers from Nicaragua, Uruguay, Perú, and Argentina also attend, while the United States, Colombia, and México send vice-ministers, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog closes his Central America tour at the ceremony.
What is Pueblo Soberano’s legislative power?
Fernández’s Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) won 31 of the 57 seats in the Asamblea Legislativa in the February 1 vote, the first single-party majority since 1990 and the largest fraction since 1982. The figure crosses the 29-seat absolute majority threshold and gives Fernández more legislative power than her predecessor Chaves ever held. Liberación Nacional comes second with 17 seats, Frente Amplio holds 7, and Coalición Democrática and Partido Social Cristiana have 1 each.
Updated: 2026-05-07T08:30:00Z by Rio Times Editorial Desk