Q COSTARICA — Acting more like a President than a minister serving at the pleasure of the president, Rodrigo Chaves is confident he won’t have to deal with any “Judases” in the ruling party’s caucus.
With just over a day left in his term, Chaves compares his situation to Jesus’ betrayal by Judas, who sold him out to the Romans for 30 pieces of silver.
The ruling party, the Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO), currently has a “working majority” with 31 of the 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly. This gives the new government, where he will be responsible, among other duties, for coordinating political relations in the Legislative Assembly, not only with the ruling party legislators but also with the opposition, the ability to pass legislation, particularly on economic and security matters, without relying on opposition votes.
The PPSO did not secure the 38 seats (two-thirds of “super majority”) needed for constitutional changes, Supreme Court justice appointments, or the suspension of individual rights, leaving space for opposition checks.
As president, Chaves had to contend with the departure of two members of the ruling party. These were former legislators María Marta Padilla and Luz Mary Alpízar, who broke ranks with the party.
“These 31 patriotic members of parliament, these 31 government legislators, will help us promote the changes that Costa Rica needs from the Legislative Assembly… I trust that this time there will be no Judases,” Chaves said.
Chaves, after handing over the presidential sash to his successor, Laura Fernández, on Friday, will step into a dual role as the Minister of the Presidency (Chief of Staff) and Minister of Finance. And what many fear, the role of the real power behind the presidential chair.
This decision has not been well received by the leaders of the Broad Front and the PLN, who fear that dialogue will be conspicuously absent.
“It seems like a renunciation of dialogue with other branches of government, which, unfortunately, will ultimately affect the people of Costa Rica. Faced with this lack of communication and this constant confrontation, it is the people of Costa Rica who lose. (…)
“I predict that less than 24 hours will pass before the first affront to the president, because Rodrigo Chaves is a person incapable of accepting authority, much less respecting the authority of a woman, and I believe that in a short time he will generate very significant tensions within the cabinet,” said José María Villalta, leader of the Frente Amplio caucus with 7 legislative seats, second to the Partido Liberacion Nacional (PLN with 17 seats and one each for the Coalición Agenda Cuidadana (CAC) and the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC).