Q COSTA RICA – At noon on May 8, 2026, Rodrigo Chaves will step down as president and return to his personal life. However, if Laura Fernandez, the presidential candidate for the Pueblo Soberano party, wins the election in February, there is a possibility that Chaves may continue to serve in the government.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, Fernandez, who held positions in the current administration, has mentioned that she has considered Chaves for Minister of the Presidency (Chief of Staff) in her government.
Fernandez, who was Minister of Planning and Minister of the Presidency in the current administration, stated in an interview on the Canal Opa program El Octavo Mandamiento that she has thought about appointing Chaves as Minister of the Presidency, although she has not discussed this matter with him as they do not talk about future issues to prevent conflict.
“Yes, I would consider it. Yes, I’ve thought about it, but I haven’t spoken with the president about it because he and I don’t discuss future matters, as it could be belligerent,” Fernández said when asked about this topic on the Canal Opa program El Octavo Mandamiento.
The presidential candidate praised Chaves’ technical and political ability and made it clear that, if he doesn’t hold a formal position, she hopes to keep him as part of her inner team.
“I hope that if he’s not a minister, at least a close advisor. He’s a brilliant man, an economist, and someone I work with incredibly easily; so, it’s very easy to reach an agreement with him; we share a vision, we share ideas.”
The eventual incorporation of the outgoing president into a high-profile role within the new government could raise questions about who’s really in charge.
However, Fernández downplayed the situation.
“The opposition will say whatever it wants to say, even saying that I follow his orders as president; however, I would be doing Costa Rica a disservice by wasting any brilliant mind who wants to work for the good of the country, be it Don Rodrigo or anyone else,” she added.
Fernández was responsible for the so-called “Jaguar” bill, which sought a national referendum under the current government, but it failed due to concerns about its unconstitutionality and rejection by the Legislative Assembly.
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