Laura Fernández of the Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) was elected president of Costa Rica on February 1, 2026. According to the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones, with 88.43% of voting stations counted as of 10:55 p.m., Fernández received the most votes in six out of seven provinces and won in 64 out of the country’s 84 cantons.
The PPSO secured 1,093,008 votes out of a total of 2,278,008 counted at that time. Fernández’s party led in all cantons within Puntarenas, Limón, and Guanacaste. In Limón province, PPSO received 65.37% of the presidential vote (105,286 votes), while the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) got 18.26% (29,419 votes). In Puntarenas, PPSO obtained 63.81% (120,260 votes) compared to PLN’s 21.82% (41,131 votes). Guanacaste saw PPSO with support from 57.41% of voters (90,487), while PLN received 27.24% (42,927).
In Alajuela province, PPSO led with 54.76% (248,943 votes), and PLN followed with 137,539 votes. The party also won by smaller margins in San José and Heredia provinces; in San José it had 304,993 votes against PLN’s 278,375; in Heredia it had 110,550 versus PLN’s 98,685.
PLN only led in Cartago province with a narrow margin—40.96%, compared to PPSO’s 38%. Within San José province itself, PLN prevailed in several cantons including Escazú and Montes de Oca; similarly in Alajuela’s Zarcero canton and several cantons within Cartago.
Álvaro Ramos finished second overall with a total of 750,585 votes—representing about one-third of ballots cast.
With these results Laura Fernández will become Costa Rica’s fiftieth president and her party will hold an absolute majority in the Legislative Assembly: “Fernández tendrá la fracción más grande en la Asamblea Legislativa desde 1982.” The official count gives her party control over 31 out of the chamber’s total seats; PLN will have seventeen deputies.
In her victory speech Fernández said: “Lo que se llamó la Segunda República labrada en 1948 ha quedado en el pasado. Por eso nos toca a nosotros edificar la tercera república.” She added: “Me propongo presidir un gobierno de diálogo y concordia nacional respetuoso del Estado de derecho.”
Ramos conceded defeat and addressed supporters: “Seremos una oposición constructiva pero no permitiremos que hagan cosas indebidas.”
President Rodrigo Chaves congratulated Fernández by phone and stated: “Le pido a usted a nombre de la patria que siga trabajando luego del ocho de mayo por un sector privado próspero que tenga derechos de propiedad que pueda producir sin intervenciones de la democracia sin corrupción y con un gobierno que produzca bienestar.”
Of all ballots cast nationwide—2,278,008—about thirty thousand were nullified while valid participation reached nearly seventy percent—the lowest abstention rate since 1998.
