QCOSTARICA – The exit this week of Mario Arce as executive president of the Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (Incofer) – Costa Rican Railway – due to a loss of confidence regarding the electric train project, made it clear that President Rodrigo Chaves takes his management style seriously.
Chaves’ style is that, if those in charge of ministries, government agencies and so on, do not meet the goals, they better leave.
Since taking office in May 2022, Chaves is making history with having the highest number of casualties in Costa Rican history for a first year: 21 changes between ministers, vice ministers, and executive presidents of state institutions.
The president expects results and not excuses about the progress of the projects that interest him.
That is why the president is making history by dismissing more ministers and executive presidents who do not show significant progress
In the last month alone (from February to date), Chaves has removed four people, in addition to Arce: Carlos Alvarado Briceño, former Minister of Science and Technology; Roberto Guzmán, executive president of AYA; Eduardo Robert, executive president of Inder.
In all cases, the same reason was given: lack of results.
“I measure the key performance indicators for each leader and that includes what they achieve, in what time they do it, and how fast the progress is going, as well as the perspectives and route to achieve the goals. I have a matrix that I personally follow and it includes 92 points, there I can see how everything is going and for this reason, talking with them, we came to the conviction that a change was necessary because things were not progressing,” said Chaves.
This does not mean that they are bad professionals. Using as an example the coach of a national soccer team but that sometimes “a coach prefers to bench Cristiano Ronaldo, who did not play in the World Cup, or even Lionel Messi,” added the president.
Chaves’ managerial style at the head of the government would have an opportunity cost for his own interests and for the development of the country, according to analysts.
This is because the stability of the cabinet would be a recurring theme during the four years.
“These departures show that the government does what Rodrigo Chaves wants and not what his ministers say. He imposes and punishes if necessary (…) We will see what happens from now on, but it is not surprising that there are new departures in the government team. In this sense, Chaves will try to increase his leadership and make his own decisions,” said Vladimir de la Cruz, analyst and columnist told La Republica.
In less than a year, President Rodrigo Chaves has seen the departure of five ministers, five executive presidents and eleven vice ministers.
- Joselyn Chacón, Minister of Health
- Carlos Alvarado Briceño, Minister of Science
- Laura Bonilla, Minister of Agriculture
- Patricia Navarro, Minister of Communication
- Marta Eugenia Esquivel, Minister of Labor
- Mario Arce Executive, President Incofer
- Allan Trigueros, President Sinart
- Eduardo Robert, President Inder
- Roberto Guzmán President AYA
- Álvaro Ramos, President CCSS
- Laura Ulloa, Vice Minister of Transport
- Edgar Mata, Vice Minister of Agriculture
- Rocío Valerio, Vice Minister of Agriculture
- Rodolfo Chévez, Vice Minister of Education
- Rocío Solís, Vice Minister of Education
- Ricardo Seravalli, Vice Minister of Culture
- Ernesto Calvo, Vice Minister of Culture
- Luis Paulino, Mora Vice Minister of Labor
- Randall Vega, Vice Minister of Security
- Alejandro Guillén, Vice Minister of Labor
- Laura Bogantes, Vice Minister of Commerce
