Q COSTA RICA — A large majority of Costa Ricans believe that former President and current super Minister, Rodrigo Chaves, maintains significant influence over the decisions made by President Laura Fernández during her first 100 days in office, according to the latest survey by the Center for Political Research and Studies at the University of Costa Rica (CIEP-UCR).
The study found that 64.4% of respondents believe Chaves has “a lot of influence” over the Fernández administration’s key decisions, while another 19.7% perceive “some influence.”
Combining these two groups, 84% of the surveyed population—more than eight out of ten people—perceive some degree of influence by the former president over the current.
In contrast, 12.9% believe Chaves exerts little influence, and only 3% maintain that he has none at all.
According to the study, public perception suggests that Fernández’s decision-making is marked by the “extensive influence” of the former president, who retains roles of political and symbolic leadership despite having completed his constitutional term.
The situation is unusual: unlike previous presidents, Chaves did not leave the executive branch after handing over the presidential sash. Instead, Fernández appointed him to her cabinet as both Minister of the Presidency and Minister of Finance—two positions carrying considerable political and economic influence within her administration.
Fernández denies a two-headed government
The president has repeatedly rejected the notion that the country is under shared leadership.
In an interview on August 27, Fernández addressed questions regarding the power her predecessor retains within the cabinet, asserting that constitutional authority remains vested exclusively in her.
“I am the President of the Republic,” Fernández stated, before emphasizing: “There is no two-headed government here.”
Fernández has also defended Chaves’s presence in her team, describing him as a trusted collaborator. Regarding the limits of his influence, she maintained that the current minister’s power extends only as far as “the law” and “regulations” allow.
Read more: Deference or transparency? Fernández calls Chaves “president” live on air
However, CIEP results show that public perception differs regarding the extent of his prominence: for nearly two-thirds of respondents, Chaves’s influence is not merely moderate, but “significant.”
The political relationship between the two figures extends beyond the current distribution of offices.
The study found a significant overlap between those who consider themselves supporters of Fernández and those who continue to back the former president. Sixty-four percent of people who identify as supporters of Laura Fernández also say they support Rodrigo Chaves.
Even so, this figure implies that about one-third of the current president’s supporters do not identify as supporters of her predecessor.