Q COSTARICA — Is the United States meddling in Costa Rica’s elections? Hours after a U.S. congressman expressed concern about lifting President Rodrigo Chaves’ immunity, the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE)—Elections Tribunal—emphasized the strength of Costa Rican democracy and electoral process.
The TSE also asserted that the current procedure for lifting immunity does not imply Chaves’ removal from office in any way, but rather constitutes an essential requirement to establish the viability of initiating proceedings, which “would respect all legal guarantees.”
“Thanks to Costa Rica’s political stability, the country ranks 18th among the world’s full democracies, only surpassed in the Americas by Canada and Uruguay, and this stability rests on the TSE’s autonomy in conducting the country’s electoral processes and protecting the political rights of Costa Ricans,” the TSE stated late Thursday evening.
The magistrates also indicated that the announcement “is a political act by foreign representatives with no bearing on the Costa Rican electoral process” or on the procedure for lifting immunity. What happened?
With the aim of clarifying doubts surrounding the lifting of the president’s immunity and the possibility that it could lead to his removal from office, Republican Congressman Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart, an ally of President Donald Trump, summoned the Costa Rican ambassador in Washington to an “informational meeting.”
The politician, a member of the House of Representatives, highlighted his concern in a publication by X, asserting that removing a president just months before the national elections “through ambiguous mechanisms puts democratic legitimacy at risk and sends an alarming signal.”
“As chairman of the subcommittee on providing foreign assistance to support democracy and our allies, I am deeply concerned about the situation unfolding in Costa Rica. The possibility that a sitting president—in one of the most stable and consolidated democracies in the region—could be removed by political expressions, through procedures whose constitutional basis is questionable, raises serious concerns,” said Díaz-Balart.
In that regard, the politician emphasized that Costa Rica has long been a democratic benchmark and a key partner of the United States in areas such as security, including the fight against narcoterrorism, combating international crime, managing migration, and addressing “anti-American” threats.
“Due to these serious concerns, I have requested a briefing with the Costa Rican ambassador, Catalina Crespo, to learn firsthand what is happening. This is a moment that demands transparency, clarity, and a firm commitment to democratic principles,” the official stated.
The U.S. congressman visited Costa Rica in late July and met with President Rodrigo Chaves.
The Case
Members of the Special Committee of the Legislative Assembly are reviewing a request from the TSE to lift President Chaves’ immunity and allow him to be investigated for the alleged crime of political belligerence, a charge that penalizes the use of public resources or electoral demonstrations to favor a party or candidate.
The report on lifting Chaves’ immunity will be voted on November 26.
If found guilty, Chaves could be barred from holding government office for up to four years, and even removed from the presidency.
This is the second time Chaves has faced such a process this year—On September 22, Congress rejected lifting the immunity, with 34 votes in favor and 21 against, when 38 affirmative votes were required. In that case, related to the alleged crime of extortion—a form of corruption—the motion did not garner enough votes to pass in Legislature.
Chaves, who has insisted he is the victim of political persecution, asserted that he will face this new process “with truth, logic, and the scrutiny of reason.”