Three of the five presidential candidates participating in the final debate organized by Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) discussed possible solutions to address the large debt owed by the State to the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
Juan Carlos Hidalgo from Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC), Ariel Robles from Frente Amplio (FA), and Douglas Caamaño from Alianza Costa Rica Primero (ACR1) all spoke about resolving the debt that has accumulated over time. As of last September, this debt was reported at ¢4.4 trillion, with 83% related to health and maternity insurance obligations and 17% linked to contributions for disability, old age, and death pensions.
Hidalgo was the first among them to raise the issue during the debate but did not specify how he would secure funds or what mechanism he would use to pay off the debt. “We need to sit down with the Caja, have a negotiation, and reach a payment agreement,” said Hidalgo. He also noted that any arrangement would likely require payments extending beyond a single presidential term.
When questioned by Caamaño on how he would pay off this debt, Hidalgo responded that it is important first to prevent further increases in what is owed. He proposed conducting an audit to determine the exact amount before establishing a payment plan because “we cannot bankrupt public finances either.”
The current amount owed is nearly double Costa Rica’s largest annual government budget allocation—the Ministry of Public Education’s budget for 2026 stands at ¢2.7 trillion.
Ariel Robles emphasized his party’s ongoing commitment to honoring this obligation. The FA has previously won legal cases against the State over unpaid debts with CCSS through former deputy José María Villalta, who is now seeking re-election. Robles stated: “I agree with Hidalgo on the need to pay this debt because people deserve access to top doctors when someone they love needs care.” He added that there is already a bill proposed by FA aiming to establish a formal payment mechanism as state policy so that future administrations cannot disregard it: “like Rodrigo Chaves’ administration, which does not care about those who use CCSS since they seek treatment abroad.”
Robles asked Caamaño how he would handle repayment if elected president. Caamaño replied that exploiting natural gas could provide an answer—claiming such activity could generate $1.9 billion annually—with 20% allocated locally where extraction occurs and the remainder used for social security payments.
