Costa Ricans appear ready to support Chaves’ successor in election as crime remains high скачать в хорошем качестве

Costa Ricans appear ready to support Chaves’ successor in election as crime remains high

(29 Jan 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS San José, Costa Rica - 29 January 2026 1. Various of city, people walking in San José 2. Various of political analyst Constantino Urcuyo 3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Constantino Urcuyo, political analyst: "It is a confrontation between a radical change in the political system proposed by the ruling party, an institutional and political revolution, and the reforms that, in general terms, all the other parties want to make to the political regime because they are necessary." ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE: San José , Costa Rica - 25 January 2026 4. Candidate Álvaro Ramos waving Costa Rica flag 5. Ramos greeting supporter from car 6. Candidate Claudia Dobles Camargo speaking to supporters 7. Man recording video of Dobles Camargo ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE: San José , Costa Rica - 24 January 2026 8. Various of candidate Laura Fernández greeting supporters from a van ASSOCIATED PRESS San José, Costa Rica - 29 January 2026 9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Constantino Urcuyo, political analyst: "Of course, not everything is going well. For example, significant reforms are needed in the area of public safety." 10. Various of people in streets 11. Jimel Jíménez crossing the street (left) 12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jimel Jíménez, human resources officer: "I think they have made good decisions. We have had governments that have made very bad decisions too. I really feel very confident, very secure, and the fact that we may have the opportunity to have what is so often referred to as continuity in the country, I honestly don't see it as a danger." 13. Wide of street 14. Various of university student Miguel Vargas 15. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Miguel Vargas, university student: "I hope that the next government will have someone who will help us, who will help improve the education system, and who will focus above all on the most vulnerable people in the country. I am afraid of continuity because I feel that our democracy is at risk." 16. Various of San José streets STORYLINE: Despite Costa Rica’s highest homicide rates occurring under outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, Costa Ricans appeared poised to throw their support to his handpicked successor Laura Fernández in Sunday’s presidential election to continue Chaves' efforts to tackle the crime. Crime remains top of mind for many voters as drug traffickers battle to control the domestic market, as well as the lucrative transshipment points to send cocaine to Europe and the United States. The small Central American nation better known for its environmental tourism and laid-back attitude has been gripped by violent crime in recent years. Chaves has simultaneously been able to shirk any blame for the violence — he points to a permissive judiciary and weak predecessors — and attract support with tough-on-crime talk. Earlier this month, Chaves invited El Salvador Nayib Bukele to the groundbreaking for a new prison, inspired by Bukele’s crackdown on gangs in his country. In 2023, Costa Rica set a record for homicides with 907. In 2024, that number fell to 880 and last year it ticked down by three. Chaves’ confrontational style — with the press, the opposition, the judiciary — has drawn followers. Chaves has benefited from a thoroughly discredited opposition, beset by corruption and seemingly unable to regain its footing in the face of Chaves’ new style of Costa Rican politics. Analyst Constantino Urcuyo said voters have to choose between a proposal for a radical overhaul of the political system promoted by the ruling party or more incremental reforms favored by the opposition. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...