Rodrigo Alberto de Jesús Chaves Robles (; born 10 June 1961) is a Costa Rican politician and economist who has served as Minister of the Presidency and Minister of Finance since 2026 and served as the 49th president of Costa Rica from 2022 to 2026. He was previously Minister of Finance from 2019 to 2020 during the presidency of Carlos Alvarado.
Biography Chaves Robles was born in the metropolitan district of Carmen, in the central canton of San José, on 10 June 1961. He obtained a B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Ohio State University. Before he was appointed minister, he worked as the World Bank country director for Indonesia and countries of the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
In 1992, before completing his Ph.D., the Institute for International Development at Harvard University offered him a four-month fellowship to conduct field research on poverty, rural poverty, microenterprise, and medium enterprise in Indonesia. When he finished his doctorate, the World Bank offered him a job for the publication of his research.
Chaves announced that he made the decision to retire as a World Bank official and return to Costa Rica because he considered that if he had requested a leave of absence, there could be a conflict of interest due to the conversations he had to have with that organization as part of his ministerial management. However, in August 2021, when the results of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Chaves were made public, it was reported that it could be the reason for his resignation from the World Bank. The World Bank's administrative tribunal noted that an internal investigation found that from 2008 to 2013, Chaves made unwelcome comments about physical appearance, repeated sexual innuendo, and unwelcome sexual advances toward multiple bank employees. Those details were repeated by the bank's human resources department in a letter to Chaves, but it decided to sanction him for misconduct rather than sexual harassment. Chaves denied all accusations of sexual harassment.
Minister of Finance The president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, announced Chaves as the new Minister of Finance on 30 October 2019. However, it was not until 26 November of that year that Chaves took office and announced his priorities: ensuring compliance with fiscal laws, increasing the collection of existing taxes, combating tax evasion, and continuing to limit public spending.
In February 2020, Chaves presented a bill to the Legislative Assembly to use the budget surpluses of public institutions to pay the debt.
During that same month, Chaves made changes in the leadership of the assembly. The deputy minister of income, Vladimir Villalobos González, resigned in protest. The General Director of Taxation, Carlos Vargas Durán; the General Director of Customs, Juan Carlos Gómez Sánchez; and the director of the Fiscal Police, Irving Malespín Muñoz, also tendered their resignations.
On 26 March 2020, during the health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chaves proposed a solidarity tax on public or private incomes exceeding 500,000 colones to provide support for workers with suspended contracts, reduced hours, or no employment at all due to measures adopted by the government to stop the spread of the virus. After criticism from some business sectors, Alvarado ruled out the idea. The Minister of Communication, Nancy Marín, told the press that "the President is above any state minister", adding that Chaves "should not have made this announcement".
On 22 April 2020, the director of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), Mario Devandas, publicly denounced Chaves' assertion during a meeting in which Alvarado participated that "nothing could be done to save the Fund, because the country could not go bankrupt to save it."
On 19 May 2020, Chaves published a letter requesting that Alvarado veto a law approved that day by Congress excluding municipalities from the fiscal rule created by Law 9635. Alvarado refused, and Chaves responded by submitting his resignation.
2022 Costa Rican general election
In July 2021, Rodrigo Chaves announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic of Costa Rica.
As part of his campaign, the Chaves-led Social Democratic Progress Party sought to combat corruption by punishing those who do not report acts of misconduct. Chaves stated he was in favor of transparency between the government and the press, universities, and citizens, and that he planned to foster it through a daily report of the activities carried out by public institutions. His plan regarding unemployment involved encouraging more women to join the workforce and raising the number of STEM graduates in response to the growing demand. He also supported bilingual education and promised to welcome foreign businesses to Costa Rica. To top off his campaign, he proposed a five-step plan to lower the cost of living. The five-step plan involved removing taxes from basic food and household items, lowering the price of rice, lowering the price of electricity, eliminating monopolies, and supporting farmers to import more efficient agrochemicals. He also said that he did not support mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.
He favors a strict ban on abortion, including in cases of rape, and is opposed to euthanasia and same-sex marriages (although these have been allowed in Costa Rica since 2020).
Reuters reported that Chaves had carved out an anti-establishment reputation. Rotsay Rosales, a political scientist and head of the National Policy Observatory of the University of Costa Rica, stated, "Chaves has a liberal economic position, is socially conservative, pro-law and order, and against the political class."
On the night of 6 February, it was announced that Rodrigo Chaves would face the country's former president, José María Figueres Olsen of the National Liberation Party, in the second round of election, which was scheduled for 3 April. Results of several opinion polls for the second round placed Chaves in first place, ahead of Figueres. On 3 April, Chaves' victory over Figueres was publicly announced by Costa Rica's media agencies. In a public speech at his supporters' celebration rally in San José, Chaves announced that he accepted his victory with humility, while urging Figueres to help him move the country forward. Figueres quickly conceded defeat after the results of the presidential election came in, telling supporters: "I congratulate Rodrigo Chaves, and I wish him the best." Additionally, on his Twitter account, incumbent President Carlos Alvarado Quesada wrote that he had called to congratulate Chaves and pledged an orderly handover of power.
Parallel Campaign Financing Scheme Investigation
During his presidential campaign, Chaves came under scrutiny for using a private trust to finance his campaign, which may be illegal under Costa Rican legislation, as it requires campaign funds to be managed through the bank accounts of political parties. Consequently, this raised multiple questions about the transparency and legality of his presidential campaign. This controversy has led to frequent clashes with the press, which he has accused of bias and of trying to sabotage his candidacy. The controversy intensified when it was revealed that the Costa Rican Attorney General's Office had launched an investigation into the origin and use of these funds. In June 2025, the Attorney General's Office formally accused Chaves and other leading politicians of illegal campaign financing and requested the Supreme Court to lift his presidential immunity from prosecution.
Presidency
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."
Popularity Public opinion regarding Rodrigo Chaves's administration has been measured periodically by polling firms such as CID Gallup. Surveys conducted during his presidency have consistently indicated majority approval, often placing him among the most highly rated political leaders in Costa Rica in recent decades.
According to CID Gallup surveys, Chaves registered approval ratings around 64% in early 2024, while subsequent measurements in 2025 reported approximately 65% of respondents rating his performance as good or very good. Later polling showed an increase to 71% approval in early 2025, reflecting a rise in positive public perception.
By 2026, CID Gallup reported that approximately 75% of the population approved of his administration, indicating sustained and relatively strong public support at the end of his term.
CID Gallup regional comparisons have also placed Chaves among the most favorably evaluated presidents in Latin America during parts of his presidency. Analysts have attributed his levels of approval to factors such as his leadership style, economic management, and public positioning on institutional and governance issues.
Achievements During his presidency, Rodrigo Chaves's administration emphasized economic stabilization, fiscal discipline, and labor market recovery.
One of the most notable developments has been the reduction in unemployment following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to official data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), Costa Rica's unemployment rate declined from around 11–12% in 2022 to approximately 6.9% by the end of 2024. Subsequent measurements in 2025 recorded rates near 5.7%, marking one of the lowest levels in recent years. Government sources have attributed this trend in part to employment initiatives such as the “Brete” program, which aimed to expand job placement, training, and workforce participation.
In fiscal policy, the administration prioritized debt stabilization and deficit reduction. After reaching elevated levels during the pandemic period, Costa Rica's public debt showed signs of gradual improvement. Data from international organizations indicate that public debt fell from a peak of approximately 79% of GDP in 2022 to below 60% of GDP by 2025–2026, reflecting ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts. Government reports also noted that central government debt declined to around 59% of GDP in 2026, alongside continued primary fiscal surpluses, indicating improved fiscal sustainability.
These trends have been accompanied by broader macroeconomic stability, including sustained economic growth and reductions in interest payments on public debt, which have contributed to improved investor confidence and fiscal outlook.
Anti-corruption discourse and conflicts with the political establishment During his presidency, Chaves adopted a confrontational political style, frequently using public communications to denounce alleged corruption, conflicts of interest, and irregular practices within Costa Rica’s political, judicial, and economic elites. This strategy often placed ongoing or emerging controversies at the center of public debate, contributing to increased scrutiny of institutions traditionally perceived as independent.
One of the most controversial aspects involved public references to alleged misconduct within the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ). Government discourse and allied commentators pointed to accusations that senior officials had improperly disclosed sensitive information related to planned law enforcement operations, such as search warrants or raids, to third parties. These claims, which circulated in political and media discussions, raised concerns about operational integrity and confidentiality in criminal investigations, although any determination of wrongdoing remained subject to formal judicial processes.