Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves Defends Himself in Historic Corruption Immunity Hearing
- Victor Nwoko
- Aug 23
- 2 min read
For the first time in Costa Rica’s history, a sitting president personally defended himself before lawmakers in a case that could strip him of his presidential immunity.
President Rodrigo Chaves appeared on Friday before a three-member legislative panel considering whether to lift his immunity so he can be prosecuted on corruption charges. The request was made by the attorney general and magistrates of the Supreme Court, who allege that Chaves pressured a contractor awarded a project by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to divert part of the funds to a former campaign adviser.
Chaves, who ran a successful outsider campaign in 2022 after a brief term as finance minister, strongly denied the accusations. He described the proceedings as political retaliation, accusing Costa Rica’s top judicial authorities of using the case to undermine him. He also criticized the lack of resolution in other high-profile corruption probes and noted that drug traffickers often evade justice in the country.
After leaving the Legislative Assembly, Chaves addressed his supporters, calling the case a “judicial coup d’etat” designed to tarnish his reputation. “Opposition lawmakers staged a ridiculous case to convince people I was a scoundrel,” he told the crowd.
Costa Rica’s next national elections are scheduled for February 1, 2026, but presidential reelection is prohibited. The panel of lawmakers will now draft a report to present to the full Congress, which will decide at a later date whether Chaves should lose his immunity.
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