OAS Electoral Observation Mission for Costa Rica’s 2026 National Elections Begins Deployment

Press Release

OAS Electoral Observation Mission for Costa Rica's 2026 National Elections Begins Deployment

The Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the National Elections in Costa Rica, headed by Doctor of Law and former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Ope Pasquet, has begun its deployment in the country ahead of the elections scheduled for Sunday, February 1.

The Mission, composed of 27 members from 15 nationalities, will analyze various technical aspects of the electoral process, including organization and logistics, the use of technology, campaign financing, and electoral justice, among others. On election day, observers will be present in all provinces of the country to monitor the conduct of the voting process at polling stations.

During its deployment, the Mission will hold meetings with electoral and state authorities, political leaders, representatives of the different candidacies, civil society and academic representatives, as well as members of the international community, in order to gather a broad range of perspectives on the country's electoral process.

Following election day, the Mission will present a preliminary report containing its observations and recommendations, with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of electoral processes in Costa Rica.

This is the twentieth Electoral Observation Mission that the OAS has deployed in Costa Rica and is made possible thanks to the financial contributions of Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, Peru, and Switzerland.

Reference: E-008/26