Right-wing populist Laura Fernández wins Costa Rica presidency, pledges Bukele-style prison

Laura Fernández Delgado of the Sovereign People's Party won Costa Rica's presidential election on February 1, 2026, with 48.53% of the first-round vote, becoming only the second woman elected president in Costa Rican history. Fernández campaigned on a platform of tough-on-crime policies modeled on El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, including completion of a CECOT-style mega-prison that her predecessor had already broken ground on with Bukele's blessing. She pledged a "fraternal axis" with San Salvador for technical advice on prison construction and organized crime suppression.