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Costa Rica

Monthly Event Reports

May 2023 | Constitutional Chamber rules against President Chaves and Health minister for verbal attacks on journalists

The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber has ruled against President Rodrigo Chaves and his cabinet’s former Health Minister for comments made against journalists. The appeal for constitutional protection (amparo) was presented by journalist Jason Ureña, who alleged that the President’s and former Health Minister’s comments, including their descriptions of reporters as “political hitmen”, contributed to harassment against journalists. The harsh criticism from government officials were responses to news reports that indicated the former Health Minister had hired a communication network to harass critical news organizations.  The government officials were ordered by the Chamber to pay damages and costs for the stigmatizing language used against journalists. 

April 2023 | President Chaves presents new security plan

On 19 April, President Rodrigo Chaves presented a new security plan that aims to curtail the rise in violent crime in Costa Rica. Government sources have stated that 2022 was the year that recorded the most murders in the country, and data from the first trimester of 2023 indicate a 40 per cent increase in homicides compared to last year. The plan includes measures to increase police presence in the streets, as well as  reforms to impose stricter sanctions on illegal gun ownership, facilitate the extradition of violent criminals (even to those countries with which no extradition treaties exist), charge those under the age of 18 as adults in cases of for- hire killings, and restrict penitentiary benefits for those found criminally responsible for violent crime.

October 2022 | Constitutional Chamber determines press freedom violation from high-level officials

In a context of increasing confrontation between President Rodrigo Chaves and members of the press, the country’s Constitutional Chamber granted an appeal promoted by journalists from newspaper La Nación, against the closure of “Parque Viva”, an entertainment centre owned by the same group. Appellants had argued that the measure was taken after President Chaves had publicly vowed to take measures against the newspaper and other media outlets. The Chamber determined an indirect violation against freedom of press had been committed by the president and health secretary, and ordered the annulment of the measure.  Days after the ruling, Chaves criticized the Court, claiming that it had favoured private interests to the detriment of the health and safety concerns his administration used to justify the closure. President Chaves has made public remarks undermining press freedom, particularly against outlets that have been critical and have reported on previous accusations of sexual harassment.

Explore past monthly event reports

GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
5 139 050
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Rodrigo Chaves Robles (since 2022)
Head of government party
Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
47.4%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
7.66
Head of state
President Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (modified two-round)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
13/05/2019
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
91.51%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
American Convention on Human Rights
State Party
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
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Categories of Democratic Performance

Representation neutral Representation
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Representation
Representation
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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