Thousands of Costa Ricans took to the streets of San José carrying lanterns and national flags, protesting what they see as a growing threat to the country’s democratic system under President Laura Fernández. The demonstrators called for the protection of the separation of powers and judicial independence, as tensions between Fernández’s government and the judiciary continue to deepen.
The latest demonstration comes amid a wider dispute over proposed reforms, government criticism of the courts and plans to reduce funding for the judicial branch.
he confrontation between Fernández’s government and the judiciary has intensified in recent months, with the president repeatedly calling for changes to a system she says is failing to deliver swift and effective justice. Fernández has criticised judicial delays, the handling of criminal cases and the structure of the country’s senior judicial appointments, arguing that the system needs to be modernised. She has also suggested that magistrates’ positions should not be effectively permanent.
The dispute has also centred on the judiciary’s budget. The government initially proposed a ₡27 billion (roughly $59.4 million) reduction in funding for 2027, before Fernández announced that the cut would instead be ₡11 billion (approximately $24.45 million). Judicial authorities and other critics have warned that restrictions on funding could weaken the institution’s ability to pursue organised crime and maintain essential services.
The tensions have increasingly become a broader debate about the balance of power in Costa Rica. Fernández has accused members of the judiciary of overstepping their authority, while critics fear that sustained attacks on the courts and attempts to reshape the judicial system could undermine institutional checks and balances. In July, the president even described constitutional court magistrates as “golpistas” — a term meaning coup plotters — after they extended certain judicial appointments.
Against that backdrop, the lantern protest has become a visible expression of public concern. Demonstrators used the traditional lantern celebrations around Costa Rica’s Independence Day to send messages in support of democracy, the independence of the judiciary and other public institutions.
