Laura Fernandez sworn in as Costa Ricas new head of government

Laura Fernandez has been sworn in as Costa Rica’s new president, marking a significant shift in the country’s leadership. The 39-year-old politician, who leads the right-wing Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO), won the February 1 election with her party holding an absolute majority of seats in the single-chamber legislature.

Fernandez has pledged to address rising crime rates in Costa Rica, which have surged in recent years as the country has become a transit route for smuggling drugs to the US. She has also vowed to maintain close ties with the United States, appointing her second vice president, Douglas Soto, as ambassador to Washington.

As part of her security strategy, Fernandez has introduced a new security minister, Gerald Campos, and announced plans for sweeping reforms to Costa Rica’s judiciary and security laws. The country is building a maximum-security prison modelled on El Salvador’s CECOT centre, which has been used to hold hundreds of Venezuelans without trial after deportation from the US.

Fernandez’s inauguration was attended by several high-profile guests, including Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Kristi Noem, the US special envoy for Latin America. The event marked a significant shift in Costa Rica’s foreign policy, with Fernandez’s administration seeking to strengthen ties with the US and other countries in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera