Rodrigo Chavez began a four-year term as Costa Rica’s new president, taking office with a long list of criticisms of his predecessor and the country’s political class, while promising a major change
From XAVIER CORDOBA Associated Press
May 8, 2022, 7:14 p.m.
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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Rodrigo Chavez began a four-year term as president of Costa Rica on Sunday, taking office with a long list of criticisms of his predecessor and the country’s political class, while promising a big change.
Shortly after receiving the ceremonial presidential belt from outgoing President Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Chavez stumbled against the state of the nation he was left to lead, complaining about the high cost of living, crime, drug trafficking and long queues at social security services.
“Not only will we tidy up the house, but we’ll rebuild it!” He swore. “It is a sign of our time. This is the urgency of change that cannot be postponed, the cry of democracy that we will not allow to disappear! “
He warned that “if the political class fails once again, the country could fall apart.”
He rejected the idea, which he said many held, that the Central American nation was “unmanageable”.
“Look at me as I am, a modest instrument for respecting the mandate of the people, a people who unite can achieve the urgent change that history requires,” he said in his speech as incumbent.
The conservative economist, who briefly served as finance minister at Alvarado, had described himself as an outsider in the race, noting that his Party of Social Democratic Progress had never won at any level before this year.
The World Bank veteran is unlikely to be a newcomer to the establishment, but in the April 3 election he defeated a man who was almost a symbol of it: Jose Maria Figueres, a former president and son of a three-time president.
However, Chavez may find it difficult to govern: his party has only 10 of the 57 seats in the legislature.
During his campaign, he called for a reduction in the cost of living, and after the victory promised – without giving details – to start with the cost of gasoline, rice and electricity.
Chavez won, although he was haunted by a scandal that ousted him from the World Bank, where he was accused of sexually harassing many women, was eventually demoted and then resigned. He denied the allegations.
Costa Rica enjoys relative democratic stability compared to other countries in the region, but the public is frustrated by public corruption scandals and high unemployment.
Alvarado’s party was nearly wiped out in the February election, with no seats in the new congress.
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