Economy · Costa Rica
—The shift. Laura Fernández of the Sovereign People’s Party won the presidency on February 1, 2026 and took office on May 8, 2026 with a working legislative majority.
—The tourism record. Tourism foreign-exchange revenue reached a record US$5.543 billion in 2025, even though total air arrivals rose only 1 percent that year.
—The FDI surge. Foreign direct investment flows hit a historic US$4,321.6 million in 2024, up 14 percent over 2023 and far above the national development plan target.
—The monetary stance. The Banco Central de Costa Rica cut its policy rate by 525 basis points between March 2023 and April 2026, bringing it down to 3.25 percent.
