Laura Fernández Wins Costa Rica Election Following Tough-on-Crime Campaign

Laura Fernández secured the presidency of Costa Rica in the first round after obtaining nearly 50 percent of the vote on a platform focused on security.The former planning minister plans to implement states of exception and high-security prisons similar to those in El Salvador to combat rising drug-related violence.While Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele monitor the shift, Nobel laureate Óscar Arias warned that the proposed judicial and constitutional reforms could undermine democratic stability.