A staff member from Grupo Repretel took a mobile phone from a journalist working for La Nación while the journalist was attempting to interview Laura Fernández, the official candidate of the Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) party. The incident occurred as Fernández was leaving the Debate Total event, which was organized by Noticias Repretel and Monumental.
The event was captured on video, showing Fernanda Matarrita, the journalist involved, walking with Fernández’s security detail and asking whether Fernández would demand the resignation of her top congressional candidate in Alajuela, José Miguel Villalobos. This question followed revelations by Ariel Robles, a Frente Amplio candidate, who stated that Villalobos had described a sexual relationship between an adult and a minor as “normal” during a resolved court case.
In the footage, Matarrita is seen filming Fernández—who did not respond to questions—when someone takes her phone. A second video recorded from another angle shows more clearly how the staff member removed the device without offering any explanation.
Afterward, Matarrita asked for clarification about what happened but received no response. The individual who took her phone did not identify herself or explain her actions.
Randall Rivera, director of Noticias Repretel, apologized directly to La Nación following the incident. Rivera clarified that the person involved is not part of their editorial team and announced that an internal investigation has been launched into what happened.
“We were ensuring the integrity of the candidacies. That staff member, who has nothing to do with editorial matters, made a terrible mistake under pressure from the situation; we are even opening an internal procedure against her because she clearly made an error,” said Rivera.
“She made a huge mistake because our only instruction to assistants was that they should leave with candidates and interviews were to be conducted outside. That was our only instruction,” he added.
Matarrita explained that she and other journalists were in an adjacent room near where the debate took place. Shortly before it ended, staff members asked them to clear out so candidates could enter reception; however, both campaign staff and press representatives requested to stay and observe until proceedings concluded.
It was as Fernández exited that the incident occurred. Afterward, another staff member named Hernández approached Matarrita to apologize and commented: “she is a young woman.”
