Costa Ricans vote in a general election on Sunday (February 1) as the right-wing populist government seeks to extend its mandate and secure control of Congress at a time when drug-fueled violence has gripped the country.

Laura Fernandez, President Rodrigo Chaves' protégé and former chief of staff, is leading in the polls with just over 40%, enough to win outright and avoid an April 5 run-off. She has pledged to continue Chaves’ tough security policies and anti‑establishment message.

Her closest rivals in the 20-person field are Alvaro Ramos, a centrist economist representing Costa Rica's oldest political party, and Claudia Dobles, an architect representing a progressive coalition and a former first lady whose husband, Carlos Alvarado, served as president from 2018 to 2022. Both are polling in the single digits but are seen as the two most likely to compete in a possible runoff if Fernandez falls short of 40%.

Fernandez also has asked voters to hand her 40 seats in the country's 57-seat legislative assembly, a supermajority that would allow her to pursue constitutional reforms.

The current government holds just eight seats and has blamed congressional gridlock for blocking its agenda.

Polls show about a quarter of the 3.7 million voters remain undecided, with the largest group being between the ages of 18-34 and from the coastal provinces of Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limon.

Despite homicides surging to an all-time high during his term and multiple corruption investigations, Chaves remains deeply popular, with a 58% approval rating according to University of Costa Rica's CIEP polling.

While consecutive reelection is not allowed in Costa Rica, Fernandez has vowed to include Chaves in her government and positioned herself as the continuity of his mandate.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) and will remain open until 6 p.m. with early results expected to come in at 8:45 p.m.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CARTAGO, COSTA RICA (FEBRUARY 1, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS VOTING

2. VARIOUS OF PILOT IN THE COSTA RICA AIR SURVEILLANCE SERVICE OF THE MINISTRY OF SECURITY, DAVID DAMASIO, VOTING

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PILOT IN THE COSTA RICA AIR SURVEILLANCE SERVICE OF THE MINISTRY OF SECURITY, DAVID DAMASIO, SAYING:

"This atmosphere is wonderful, simply wonderful. Usually, because of my work, we are accustomed to defending democracy, institutions, and our country from the sky, but today we are doing so much closer to home, here in an educational centre, and nothing could be more meaningful than that. And it is also done from here (points to heart) and from here (points to head) because institutions and democracy are defended every day, because that was the oath I once took."

4. ELECTORAL WORKERS SETTING UP POLLING STATION

5. ELECTORAL WORKERS TALKING

6. BALLOT BOXES

7. ELECTORAL WORKERS

8. VOTERS TALKING WITH ELECTORAL WORKERS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EMPLOYEE, EMILY LOPEZ, SAYING:

“Democracy is very important to me, and coming out to vote, even at 6 a.m. when it's 14°C, is something that represents us greatly and is something that not all countries have. It's something you have to do, even if it's at 6 a.m.”

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETIREE, AURA CHAN, SAYING:

“We are not diminished servants, and I say to all those who do not want to vote and are undecided that we should vote, because we are not diminished servants. We need change, and we have to make it happen.”

11. PEOPLE QUEUING TO VOTE

12. ENTRANCE TO POLLING STATION