On Friday, President-elect Rodrigo Chaves announced that part of his team of ministers will take office as of May 8.

Analyzing relations with Venezuela, maintaining some sanitary guidelines, strengthening the war against drug trafficking and reviewing the agreements with the OECD, are some of the priorities of the new ministers.

Arnoldo André-Tinoco, as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

André is a lawyer by profession. He was the Honorary Consul of Norway in Costa Rica. He was an adviser to the embassies of Germany, Switzerland and Austria in Costa Rica. In his first declaration to the press, he said that he is going to analyze the possibility of resuming relations with Venezuela.

“Venezuela is under study. Circumstances have been changing. The constitutional period of Mr. Guaidó (referring to Juan Gerardo Guaidó Márquez declared acting president of Venezuela) has already expired, and the world dynamic moves to adjust to the realities of politics. So, we have to evaluate which position is best for the interests of Costa Rica,” Tinoco said.

Jorge Torres-Carrillo, as Minister of Security.

He is a lawyer with a specialty in Notarial Law and a Postgraduate in Strategic Intelligence. He has more than 10 years of experience in the Intelligence and Security Directorate as head of the intelligence center against drug trafficking.

According to Torres, the focus would be "more on local drug trafficking structures, in addition to reconsidering what is doing the most harm to society, local or international drug trafficking."

Joselyn Chacón-Madrigal, as Minister of Health.

She is a doctor specializing in hospital administration with a focus on medicine and surgery. She holds a master's degree in health services administration.  

In her first declaration to the press, Chacon said that she will maintain the use of a mask and that she will study the gradual elimination of the other sanitary guidelines.

Chacón points out that this will continue with the use of the mask because this device has been vital to avoiding covid-19. "The behavior of the covid-19 is very unpredictable. It has been more than proven from a scientific and medical point of view that lifting the mask requirement is not appropriate," she said.

Manuel Tovar-Rivera, as Minister of Foreign Trade.

He is a lawyer by profession. He held the position of representative of Costa Rica before the OECD (from 2016 to 2021). He has held the position of commercial attaché at the Costa Rican embassy in Belgium. He was a Costa Rican delegate to the World Customs Organization in Brussels.

In his first declarations, he indicated his priority would be to analyze the agreements with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD.

"The OECD is a very important tool for the country. We have to analyze with the President (Chaves), develop an agenda and a clear strategy for the OECD and thus take advantage of all the opportunities that the organization gives us. It is a relevant issue for Costa Rica and this administration and to attract investment," Tovar said.

The other five ministers presented by Chaves were Franz Tattenbach-Capra as Minister of Environment, Ana Katharina Mueller-Castro as Minister of Education, Martha Eugenia Esquivel-Rodríguez as Minister of Labor, Natalia Díaz as Minister of the Presidency and Laura Fernández as Minister of Planning.

Last week, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal delivered the credentials to the 57 newly elected deputies, which will make up Congress, from May 1, 2022, to April 30, 2026.

Ninety-eight percent of the voting centers, in the second round of the National General Elections held on April 3, determined that Rodrigo Chaves-Robles as the new president of Costa Rica.

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