Q COSTARICA — Presidential candidate Claudia Dobles, of the Agenda Ciudadana,, questioned Laura Fernández’s decision on Tuesday to boycott several presidential debates organized by media outlets, asserting that this stance reflects a lack of courage and commitment to accountability.
Dobles reacted after Fernández’s campaign team confirmed that the ruling party candidate would not participate in the debates organized by Teletica Canal 7, Canal OPA, and Grupo Extra.
A total of ten debates are scheduled for this month.
“Attending only four debates demonstrates a lack of courage. Governing requires facing the public and being accountable to Costa Ricans. Those who shy away from debate today will flee from problems tomorrow. I respectfully ask Laura Fernández’s campaign team to grant her permission to debate,” Dobles stated.
The Campaign Command’s Decision
This Tuesday, Francisco Gamboa, campaign manager and vice-presidential candidate for Pueblo Soberano, confirmed that Fernández will participate in ONLY four debates.
He explained that the decision is part of a strategy to “put Costa Ricans at the center of the campaign” and avoid, in his view, spaces that have become stages for attacks and malicious spectacles.
The news came hours after Douglas Sánchez, director of Canal OPA, publicly announced that the candidate would not participate in the debate organized by that channel, which raised eyebrows given the channel’s alleged close ties to the current government and the ruling party’s candidate.
“Since October 1, 2025, Laura Fernández’s presidential campaign has made a clear, firm, and strategic decision: to put the people of Costa Rica at the heart of the campaign. Our priority has been and will continue to be being with the people, listening to them, supporting them, and walking alongside them in every corner of the country. In response, some rivals—desperate for attention and struggling with their poll numbers—have tried to turn certain “debate” spaces into platforms for attack, lies, and spectacle. We will not play their game,” Gamboa stated.