Chaves took office on 8 May 2022 and became the 49th president of Costa Rica. He was sworn in with a
Bible in his hand and stated in his inaugural speech that "the fear of God is the basis of a ruler's wisdom."
Abortion On 15 October 2025, Chaves Robles restricted abortion in the country only to life-threatening cases for the mother. He had promised earlier that month to take such action during a conference at an
Evangelical Alliance meeting.
Cyber attack on the Costa Rican government After a month — starting on April 17 — of crippling
ransomware attacks against the former government and its replacement, newly-elected President Chaves declared a state of emergency, in order to deal with the cyber attacks. The declaration said the attacks were "unprecedented in the country" and that they interrupted the country's tax collection and exposed citizens' personal information. Leon Weinstok, the director of the Costa Rica office of the law firm BLP, who specializes in
cybersecurity law, said the attacks had severely affected the country's ability to function. The Russian-speaking
Conti gang had claimed responsibility for the cyber attacks. The
US state department had, in response, offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of Conti leaders. He also promised there would be an investigation into the contracts signed by the previous government.
Escazú agreement Believing that the fight against
global warming is not a priority, he refuses to ratify the
Escazú agreement in order to "reassure the private sector." The agreement, drafted in 2018, endorsed the right of access to information of citizens on environmental issues and their participation in relevant decision-making. He also announced that he wanted to revive the exploitation of mining, natural gas, and oil resources.
Jaguar Law controversy One of Chaves' most controversial proposals during his presidency has been the "Jaguar Law to Boost Costa Rica's Development," which seeks to reform several key government structures, including the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic. The law proposes to limit the powers of the Comptroller General, far out of reach and headed by the same person for a surprising number of years, in the prior review of public contracts, allowing it to intervene only after expenditures have already been made. Critics, including Comptroller Marta Acosta, argue that this reform could weaken controls over the use of public funds, negatively affecting the efficiency and legality of the use of state resources. Criticism focuses on the fact that the Jaguar Law could significantly weaken the control and oversight mechanisms for public spending. The Comptroller General and some civil society organizations have expressed concern that the elimination of these controls could represent a setback in the fight against corruption and transparency in the use of public resources. In addition, academics and governance experts have pointed out that the reduction of controls could facilitate corrupt practices and the misuse of public funds, negatively affecting confidence in state institutions.
Attacks on press freedom Over the first two years of his presidency, Rodrigo Chaves has frequently clashed with major media outlets in Costa Rica, particularly
La Nación and
CRHoy. His administration has accused these outlets of political bias and of being part of an entrenched media structure that allegedly benefited from disproportionate amounts of state advertising under previous governments. In 2022, the Ministry of Health ordered the closure of
Parque Viva, a large event venue owned by La Nación's parent company, citing public safety concerns related to emergency access routes in a densely populated neighborhood. The case remains under legal review and has sparked debate. While critics argue the action was politically motivated and a form of indirect censorship, the government maintains that the closure was justified on technical and legal grounds. The Constitutional Chamber later ruled that the process lacked proportionality but did not dismiss the state's authority to act in such cases. President Chaves has also implemented a policy to redistribute government advertising funds across more than 130 media outlets, in contrast to the previous concentration of advertising in a few traditional media groups. Supporters see this as a democratization of public resources, while critics argue it serves to reward friendly media and penalize dissenting voices. During weekly press conferences, Chaves has publicly criticized and at times mocked
individual journalists, leading to condemnation by press freedom organizations and universities. On one occasion in September 2024, his security personnel escorted journalists out of a press event, prompting further backlash. At the same time, Chaves has claimed that some prominent media owners have political and financial conflicts of interest. CRHoy, for example, is owned by businessman Leonel Baruch, who has faced investigations related to financial operations through Grupo BCT and its subsidiaries. As of 2025, no formal charges have been filed.
Logging permits in Gandoca-Manzanillo Chaves' government authorized logging in the
Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge in the
Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica. These logging permits were given to Pacheco Dent, a friend and neighbor of the president, in defiance of earlier rulings by the Supreme Court that declared that area was protected under environmental laws.
Detention of foreign migrants In February 2025, Chaves' government agreed to receive 200 migrants
renditioned from the United States and to detain them at the
Temporary Migrant Care Center, known by its Spanish acronym CATEM, pending their repatriation. In a press release, the Ombudsman's Office of Costa Rica criticized the manner in which the migrants were treated upon arrival. Some migrants reported to observers that their passports were seized. Translators were not made available, so it could not be communicated to migrants where they were going. According to observers, adequate medical and psychological care was also rarely provided, especially to the many children among the renditioned migrants. Costa Rican authorities have made attempts to re-establish custody over migrants who have escaped from CATEM, though others were permitted to leave the facility after formally seeking asylum in Costa Rica. A second investigation was opened in early August 2023 against the president and several members of the government for "
influence peddling". On July 1, 2025, the Supreme Court asked the National Assembly to lift Rodrigo Chaves' presidential immunity so that he could be tried for corruption. Chaves is accused of forcing a communications services company hired by the presidency to pay $32,000 to his friend and former image consultant Federico Cruz. Judicial and electoral authorities are also conducting other investigations against the president.
Immunity On 22 September 2025, a motion in the
Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica to remove Chaves' presidential immunity amid corruption allegations against him failed after coming short of obtaining a supermajority. On 7 October 2025, the Supreme Electoral Court asked the National Assembly to strip Chaves of immunity and to allow him to be prosecuted.
Security crisis His presidency was marked in particular by an increase in
crime. The
homicide rate reached an all-time high of 17 per 100,000 inhabitants under the Chaves administration. "Insecurity, from Chaves' first year to the present day, is the main concern of citizens, especially since, during three of the four years, homicide figures were the highest in history and 30% of victims were collateral victims of organized crime," says Alejandro Barahona Krüger, political scientist and expert in international relations. Costa Rica is a bridge for drugs traveling from South America to the
United States and
Europe. Opposition parties have called for an investigation into alleged links between Rodrigo Chaves' government and criminal gangs.
Assassination plot On 13 January 2026, Jorge Torres, director of the Intelligence and National Security Directorate, announced the discovery of an assassination plot targeting Chaves. Local media reported that Torres submitted a complaint that appeared to accuse human rights activist and Chaves critic Stella Chinchilla of involvement in the plot, which Chinchilla denied. == Honours ==