RICO’s Q — Costa Rica holds its presidential ‘traspaso de poderes’—the formal transfer of power—today, May 8, 2026, reaffirming its commitment to peaceful governance.
The ceremony will officially start at 11:00 a.m, an hour ahead of the typical high noon, so as not to be ruined by rain, at the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium) in La Sabana park, in the heart of the capital city.
This symbolic and constitutional event, deeply embedded in Costa Rica’s political culture, signals not just a change in leadership but a renewal of public trust and democratic values.
The ‘traspaso de poderes’ ceremony is more than a tradition; it embodies Costa Rica’s unique political identity—one that shuns military influence and embraces dialogue, cooperation, and transparency.
But. Yes, there is a but. Although outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves will formally pass the presidential sash to Laura Fernández, he won’t just step aside and disappear as others before him have done. Instead, Chaves will stay right by Fernández’s side as a super minister, juggling two key roles—Minister of the Presidency and Minister of Finance—making him the true power behind Laura.
Anyone who has doubts should examine these image analytically; it says it all.
On Tuesday, at the close of her cabinet-naming ceremony, Laura’s simple gesture sent a clear message: she is ready to follow his lead.
And by the end of the day today, something that should bother even his most loyal supporters, Chaves will become the highest-paid public employee ever. Between his salary as Minister of Finance, his pay as Minister of the Presidency, and an extravagant presidential pension, he’s raking in more than anyone, even the new president.
He will have turned into exactly what he once vowed to fight against.
The nation now looks ahead, eager to see how this new chapter of ‘chavismo’ unfolds.