Who is Rodrigo Chaves, the controversial economist who will be president of Costa Rica

The economist and former World Bank official Rodrigo Chaves was elected this Sunday as the 49th president in Costa Rica's history, following a campaign in which he promised “change” and fight corruption, and in which he was involved in the controversy over cases of sexual harassment and alleged parallel structures of financing.

Chaves, from the young Social Democratic Progress Party, won 52.9% of the votes to defeat former President José María Figueres Olsen, of the traditional National Liberation Party.

The candidate surprised last February 6 in the first round by finishing in second place to get into the second round against former president Figueres.

Chaves, 60, has proposed to attack the corruption for which he blames previous governments, including those of the rival party, and to implement profound state reforms through referendum, something that has been branded by his opponents as populism.

Among the candidate's promises are the reduction of procedures for entrepreneurs and social security, modifications to the country's educational plans, the decrease in the size of the State and support for the coastal sectors, which are the poorest in the country.

The Chaves Government's plan is committed to economic actions to reduce procedures and facilitate business action, reduce social burdens, demand results from public institutions, generate jobs and attract more investment, and lower the cost of the basic basket through decrees.

Chaves has also promised to promote a single pension system, implement the tax reform approved during the current government, stronger sanctions against corruption and make social spending more efficient.

“This is not a time to celebrate, but it is a huge challenge,” Chaves said in his victory speech, after learning about the election results.

“I send my appreciation to Don José María Figueres and to all the people who voted for him”, while asking him to work together to make possible the projects that his cotendor called the “Costa Rican miracle”, which was his campaign project.

“Tonight let's keep the party flags that can divide us,” the president-elect asked his followers.

“The abstentionism we are going through today has become the largest political party in Costa Rica,” Chaves lamented in his speech, after it became known that more than 42% of Costa Ricans called to vote did not attend the elections.

“Do not give the keys to the same people as always” was one of the phrases most used by Chaves during the campaign, with which he asked the population to vote and which has helped him to criticize the most popular parties in the country.

This candidate has also been characterized by his constant confrontation with the press to which he has pointed out to be biased.

Although she has presented herself as “a strong defender of press freedom” and has as her spokesperson and elected deputy renowned retired journalist Pilar Cisneros, Chaves has launched epithets such as “rogues”, “liars” and “laughing stock” against media outlets.

Chaves' annoyance centers on media reports about a private trust that would have financed his campaign expenses, which would be illegal.

Legislation requires campaign money to be mobilized through the bank accounts of political parties.

The local press and also the US media have reported on complaints of sexual harassment that were filed against Chaves by officials of the World Bank (WB) when he was working as an economist for that entity and for which domestic sanctions were applied in 2019.

The candidate insisted that the events reported never happened and that it was all a “misunderstanding” on the part of his colleagues.

After his time at the World Bank, Chaves was Costa Rica's finance minister between December 2019 and May 2020 in the current administration of President Carlos Alvarado.

Chaves spent more than 20 years in various positions at the World Bank as sector director of poverty reduction, public sector reform and economic management for Latin America and the Caribbean; as well as country director of Indonesia.

(With information from EFE)

KEEP READING: