Óscar Arias
Served: 1986–1990, 2006–2010
Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his Central American peace plan; returned to office in 2006 after a court ruling allowed former presidents to run again.
List of Presidents of Costa Rica: Past and Present
Last updated
This page lists the presidents and heads of state of Costa Rica from 1986 to the present, with the years each leader was in office and a short summary of their time in power. Use it to find the current president of Costa Rica, former leaders, and key dates in the country's political history.
Current president of Costa Rica: Laura Fernández (in office since 2026).
Advertisement
Presidents of Costa Rica in order, with years in office
Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
Served: 1990–1994
Son of former president Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia.
José María Figueres
Served: 1994–1998
Son of José Figueres Ferrer, who led Costa Rica in the 1940s and abolished its army.
Advertisement
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez
Served: 1998–2002
Economist who later became secretary-general of the Organization of American States for a few weeks in 2004.
Abel Pacheco
Served: 2002–2006
Physician and television personality.
Laura Chinchilla
Served: 2010–2014
First woman to serve as president of Costa Rica.
Luis Guillermo Solís
Served: 2014–2018
Historian who won the 2014 election for the Citizens' Action Party.
Carlos Alvarado Quesada
Served: 2018–2022
Former journalist and author who won the 2018 runoff.
Rodrigo Chaves
Served: 2022–2026
Economist and former World Bank official who could not stand again under the constitution; he stayed in government as minister of the presidency and minister of finance under his successor.
Laura Fernández
Served: 2026–present
Won the February 2026 election in the first round and was sworn in on 8 May 2026 as the 50th president and second woman to hold the office; her term runs to 2030.
Advertisement
Frequently asked questions about the presidents of Costa Rica
Who is the current president of Costa Rica?
The current president of Costa Rica is Laura Fernández, in office since 2026.
Who were the previous presidents of Costa Rica?
The presidents and heads of state of Costa Rica listed on this page, in order, are: Óscar Arias, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier, José María Figueres, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Abel Pacheco, Laura Chinchilla, Luis Guillermo Solís, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Rodrigo Chaves, Laura Fernández.
Sources: Wikipedia, List of presidents of Costa Rica and Laura Fernández; Associated Press, Reuters, Al Jazeera and EFE reports on the 8 May 2026 inauguration, and October 2026 coverage (checked Nov 2026). Shows the ten presidents since 1986; Óscar Arias served two separate terms.. Last reviewed November 2026.
Presidents of other North America countries
Presidents of Barbados · Presidents of Cuba · Presidents of Dominica · Presidents of Dominican Republic · Presidents of El Salvador · Presidents of Guatemala · Presidents of Haiti · Presidents of Honduras · Presidents of Mexico · Presidents of Nicaragua · Presidents of Panama · Presidents of Trinidad and Tobago · Presidents of United States · All North America presidents · All countries A–Z