New Costa Rica President Laura Fernandez Says Abortion is “Nothing More Than Murder”
Laura Fernández, a staunch pro-life advocate who has described abortion as nothing more than murder, won Costa Rica’s presidential election on Sunday, securing a first-round victory and becoming the Central American nation’s next leader.
Fernández, who previously served as planning minister and chief of staff under outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, triumphed in what outlets described as a landslide, capturing 48.3% of the vote with 94% of polling stations counted, surpassing the threshold to avoid a runoff.
Her nearest rival conceded defeat.
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Appearing via video link at her party’s official election night gathering in the capital San Jose, Fernández thanked Chaves for giving her “the confidence to be president-elect of Costa Rica” and said his legacy was in good hands. She vowed to “fight tirelessly” to ensure Costa Rica “continues on the path of economic growth, freedom, and above all, the progress of our people.”
Throughout her campaign and prior role in government, Fernández emphasized moral values and the protection of unborn babies from abortion. She defended a government measure to toughen penalties for abortion by stating, “Defender la vida de los costarricenses que todavía no han nacido es una obligación del Estado. El aborto no es una cosa más que un asesinato y por eso las penas tienen que endurecerse” — translated as “Defending the lives of Costa Ricans who have not yet been born is an obligation of the State. Abortion is nothing more than murder and, therefore, penalties must be toughened.”
The measure proposes increases such as 4-6 years imprisonment for women who cause or consent to their own abortion (up from 1-3 years under current law) and up to 12 years for those who perform abortions without the woman’s consent (up from 3-10 years).
The victory builds on the conservative policies of the Chaves administration, which restricted legal abortion access to only cases where the mother’s life is in danger, removing prior allowances when pregnancy supposedly threatened her health. Generally abortions cause health problems for women, not the other way around.
Chaves had stated at the time: “Today the only reason for which an abortion can be done without penalty is when there are only two options: the mother’s life or the life of the being that is inside.”
Fernández’s win, amid her pledges for a hard line on crime and violence linked to drug trafficking, reflects continued support among conservative and faith-based voters who prioritize the defense of life from conception. Her administration is expected to advance policies safeguarding unborn children in line with her longstanding advocacy.
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