Costa Rica
Costa Rica is an overall mid-performing democracy. Outside of Impartial Administration, in which it performs at the mid-range, the country exhibits high-range performance on all attributes. It also performs well above the Central American average across all attributes. Mid-range scores in Impartial Administration are driven by weaker performance in Absence of Corruption, which are nonetheless above the global average and similar to most countries in the region. In other indicators, it consistently scores in the top 25 per cent regionally and globally. In the past five years, Costa Rica has experienced significant declines in Civil Liberties (Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Movement). The country’s GDP per capita is the fourth highest in Latin America. Tourism and high-tech exports are the leading sectors in Costa Rica’s economy.
Costa Rica gained independence from Spain in 1821. In 1948, it became one of the few countries in the world without a standing army, choosing to instead invest resources in environmental protection, education and health. This decision has helped Costa Rica race ahead of the region with regard to several development indicators. This approach has contributed to improved public health and primary care in rural regions, with the implementation of a national health plan in the 1970s and the subsequent consolidation of a national health system. It is a leader in environmental protection, with 25 per cent of its land designated as protected national parks. It is also the first tropical country to have reversed deforestation. Since 1949, regular elections have taken place every four years, making Costa Rica one of the longest existing and more stable democracies in the Americas.
White and Mestizo Costa Ricans make up the majority of the country’s population (83.6 per cent), with Mulatto, Indigenous, and Black minorities. Eight Indigenous ethnic groups live in 24 Indigenous territories. While the 1977 Indigenous Act recognized the right to be governed through traditional systems, the imposition of “development associations” as a form of governance has been criticized as inadequate. Notwithstanding legislation to protect Indigenous territories, sometimes violent land disputes with illegal settlers remains a contentious, unresolved issue. Recently, migration has become another salient issue as migrants and asylum seekers (largely) from Nicaragua have strained Costa Rica’s asylum system and sparked a rise in food insecurity and xenophobic protests and disinformation.
Costa Rica has a comprehensive legal framework to ensure gender equality and address gender-based violence, yet the latter remains a significant challenge. Progress has been made in women’s representation in Congress, which nears parity, and in reducing adolescent pregnancy in the past years. In 2020, Costa Rica recognized marriage equality. Further, despite high levels of government social expenditure, inequality and poverty have increased since the mid-1990s, and were exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, given the economy’s reliance on tourism.
In the past years, corruption scandals have contributed to an erosion of public confidence in government and political elites. Long term party identity has deteriorated and shifted from a two-party system to a more fragmented one. Democratic dissatisfaction and apathy have grown, reflected in declining voter turnout. Further, polarization is growing in a context where the distance between new, anti-establishment and traditional political parties has increased, as illustrated during the 2022 election. At the same time, socioeconomic inequality among the central, coastal and border regions impacts citizens’ engagement and political participation.
In the next few years, it will be important to observe how inequality and perceptions of corruption continue to impact satisfaction with democratic institutions, particularly regarding Participatory Engagement. In addition, although Freedom of Expression and Media Integrity scores are amongst the highest in the continent, they should be monitored, as trust in media is in decline. Finally, it will also be important to watch how implementation of commitments related to Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized communities, such as asylum seekers, may impact performance in Fundamental Rights.
Monthly Event Reports
February 2024 | Costa Rica holds municipal elections
On 4 February, Costa Rica held subnational elections of authorities from its 84 municipalities and 492 districts. Despite voting being mandatory in Costa Rica (albeit, with no sanctions for not voting), turnout was particularly low at 31 per cent (the lowest turnout since 2010), and five percentage points less than in the previous subnational process. This was the first time that measures to ensure gender parity in the lists of candidacies (both for single-seat constituencies and proportional representation) were implemented. Significantly, the Electoral Tribunal’s President expressed concern over the aggressive disinformation campaign targeting members of the Tribunal and aiming to prevent elections from taking place, an issue also highlighted by an OAS electoral observation mission. According to the latter, multiple stakeholders agreed in their concern over the risk of illicit funding of campaigns, given organized crime’s increased presence in the country.
September 2023 | Government declares national emergency over increased migration
President Rodrigo Chaves signed a national emergency decree over increased numbers of migrants crossing into Costa Rica on their way to the United States. According to government data, so far in 2023, 320,110 people have crossed into Costa Rica through Paso Canoas, bordering Panama. Costa Rica’s southern border had received nearly 84,500 people in August, more than double the previous month. Clashes between migrants and police agents preceded the announcement of this measure, as tension with residents of bordering cities and towns grew. According to the government, the national emergency declaration will enable it to allocate sufficient funds and take necessary administrative measures to ensure the safe transit of migrants.
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.
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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022
Basic Information
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Global State of Democracy Indices
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Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
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