OLIVER STUENKEL
MAY 04, 2022
COMMENTARY
Rodrigo Chaves’s election reveals that antiestablishment sentiment remains strong across Latin America.
When Rodrigo Chaves is sworn in as Costa Rica’s new president on May 8, his honeymoon period is likely to be unusually brief. After a rancorous election, Chaves must show that he is not just a skilled campaigner but also able to govern by establishing a successful dialogue with opponents at home and with other heads of state in an increasingly troubled neighborhood.
The conservative Chaves, a former finance minister and World Bank economist, defeated former president José María Figueres with 53 percent of the vote in the April 3 runoff. The highly polarized contest was shaped by mutual accusation and a historically low turnout, as well as profound public disillusion with traditional parties. But it was also another example of the strength of Costa Rica’s democracy, which frequently receives top grades in global rankings. Figueres conceded less than..
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