La Nación, a newspaper that reported on sexual harassment claims against ex-president Rodrigo Chaves, had faced sustained scrutiny from his administration.
He promised it during the campaign and did everything possible to make it a reality.
When he was a candidate in 2022, Costa Rica’s now former president, Rodrigo Chaves, vowed to bring about the “destruction of the corrupt structures” of several independent media outlets—among them La Nación, the country’s oldest and most widely circulated newspaper.
With Chaves's presidency began a series of verbal attacks and acts of intimidation—directed not only at La Nación but also at various journalists and media owners—which have even been characterized in court as violations of press freedom.
In the latest blow to La Nación, on May 8, just days before the end of Chaves’ term, the United States government revoked the visas of five of the seven members of the newspaper’s board of directors. Although there is no evidence, journalists and organizations see in the measure indications that could point to some form of involvement by the Chaves government.
¡Buenos días! Adquiera la edición impresa en los principales establecimientos comerciales del país. Consulte nuestro contenido también en https://t.co/3PycGSDz69 pic.twitter.com/V3itj6TLXU
— La Nación (@nacion) May 3, 2026
The Costa Rican Presidency did not respond when asked by LatAm Journalism Review (LJR) about the revocation of visas and the state of press freedom in the country.
The U.S. Department of State declined to comment on the case, but a spokesperson told LJR that the Department has broad discretion to revoke visas when it deems doing so serves U.S. interests.
“Under President Trump, the Department of State has fully utilized its ability to revoke visas to support national security and public safety, uphold U.S. immigration law and advance key foreign policy interests,” they told LJR via email.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF, for its French initials) has recorded a significant drop for Costa Rica in its World Press Freedom Index since Chaves took office. The country fell from eighth place in 2022 to 38th in 2026.
In its report this year, RSF attributed that decline in part to the government's confrontational tone toward the critical press and to restrictions on access to information.
In April, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) documented an increase in the country of measures of judicial harassment against journalists and media outlets regarding matters unrelated to the profession—such as money laundering and embezzlement—which nonetheless adversely affect the practice of journalism.
“The pattern typical of authoritarian-leaning governments—strangling media outlets that are even moderately critical of the administration—is playing out,” Martha Ramos, chair of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, told LJR. “All these measures are indeed concerning. There is clearly a regression.”
On Sunday, May 3—the date on which World Press Freedom Day is observed—La Nación published on its front page a letter from its Board of Directors condemning the revocation of the visas. The signatories described the measure as unprecedented in Costa Rica, but said that it would not affect the journalistic operations of the publication, which will turn 80 in October.
The following day, in an editorial, La Nación described the events as “a serious attack on freedom of expression” and said that it had “solid reasons” to believe that it was an attack launched from El Zapote—the seat of the Costa Rican Presidential Palace—in retaliation for its critical reporting.
Journalists and press freedom advocates share this hypothesis. Fabrice Le Lous, the newspaper's current editor, cited as an indication the fact that it was media outlets aligned with the government —such as Trivisión and Repretel— that disclosed the information on May 2, including full names and document expiration dates, before the affected individuals had been officially notified.
El presidente de Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, y la presidenta electa Laura Fernández Delgado participan en la cumbre Escudo de las Américas, convocada en Miami por el mandatario estadounidense Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/BhUfrSUArm
— inforame.com (@infor_ame) March 7, 2026
“That is consular information; it is private and personal information,” Le Lous told LJR. “It’s connecting the dots. It is obvious [...] because visas have been revoked solely for individuals who have previously been singled out as enemies of the regime.”
Since February 2025, the U.S. has revoked the visas of more than 15 high-profile Costa Rican officials and citizens. The wave of cancellations began shortly after a visit to Costa Rica by Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, who publicly said that his country would assist Costa Rica in punishing individuals who have become complicit with “malign actors.” This occurred against the backdrop of a decree issued by Chaves that excluded Chinese companies from bidding on 5G networks.
Days later, the visas of two lawmakers critical of the decree were revoked. These actions were followed by the cancellation of visas belonging to figures critical of the government—such as former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Óscar Arias, his brother and president of the Legislative Assembly, Rodrigo Arias, and two Supreme Court justices.
In countries such as Mexico and Brazil, the Trump administration has revoked the visas of officials for allegedly having criminal ties. However, there are no indications that the board members of La Nación face any such accusations against them, said Yanancy Noguera, president of the Association of Journalists of Costa Rica (Colper).
“So there are signs that this is not something we can attribute exclusively to the United States government,” Noguera told LJR.
Chaves’s animosity toward La Nación dates back to before his presidency. In August 2021, the newspaper published a report regarding a World Bank investigation that alleged Chaves had exhibited a pattern of sexual harassment while working at the institution. The former president has denied it.
“Since then—truth be told—what we have seen is that he has made La Nación an almost personal enemy,” Le Lous said.
Two months after Chaves became president, Parque Viva—an entertainment venue owned by the ownership group of La Nación—was shut down by the government, citing reasons of safety and road access.
Following a writ of amparo filed by the media outlet, the Constitutional Chamber overturned the measure, ruling that it constituted an “indirect violation” of freedom of expression, given that the venue serves as a form of funding for La Nación’s journalistic activities.
“This marked a significant turning point because it demonstrated that the government was willing to adopt a confrontational stance toward what remains—albeit increasingly less so—Costa Rica’s leading media outlet,” Eduardo Ulibarri, a columnist and former editor of La Nación, told LJR. “And that it was willing to use the administrative power of the State to do so.”
Those events were followed by years of public confrontation, which included questioning regarding the newspaper's finances and disparaging remarks made during press conferences by the now-former president and other officials.
On May 8, Chaves handed over the presidency to Laura Fernández, a member of his own party. The new president appointed Chaves Minister of the Presidency and of Finance—a move that, according to experts, suggests a continuation of the previous administration's policies, including its relationship with the press.
While there is no evidence of any interference by the Chaves administration in the cancellation of the visas held by La Nación board members, nor is there any public record that the former president requested an explanation from the U.S. government. For Ulibarri, this silence serves as yet another indication of possible culpability.
Rodrigo Chaves, actual presidente de la República, será ministro de Presidencia y Hacienda durante el mandato de Laura Fernández.
Foto: Jose Cordero pic.twitter.com/sVH6evaYXb
— La Nación (@nacion) May 5, 2026
“That gives rise to a strong presumption —well-founded, I would say— that there may be a backroom deal involved,” Ulibarri said.
The journalist said that this could instill fear among the owners and executives of other media outlets that still maintain an independent stance.
“That in itself,” concluded Ulibarri, “reduces the scope of freedom to express oneself publicly on matters of public interest.”
This article was translated with AI assistance and reviewed by Teresa Mioli
