No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessPresident-elect Luis Guillermo Solís names first half of his Cabinet

President-elect Luis Guillermo Solís names first half of his Cabinet

The Tico Times
By The Tico Times

President-elect Luis Guillermo Solís presented the first half of his Cabinet ministers Monday, appearing to begin his deficit reduction plan by cutting down the number of ministers. He assigned Vice President Helio Fallas to double duty as finance minister, and eliminated the communications minister post altogether.

Although the incoming president presented the first round of his Cabinet assignments at the National Children’s Museum in San José, several posts still must be filled. Solís, a former diplomat, did not name a foreign minister and held back several other announcements, saying the rest of the government team would be presented on April 28.

The president-elect also announced he would start his traditional tour of Central American states and the Dominican Republic on April 22. However, Solís would not visit Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega, he said, citing Costa Rica’s pending disputes with its northern neighbor at the International Court of Justice.

Fallas, 67, said he hoped to cut Costa Rica’s deficit of 5.4 percent of gross domestic product by one percent in a year’s time through improved tax collection and reducing the government budget. The finance minister-to-be told The Tico Times that the exact shape of his dual duties was still inchoate, but that he would meet all his ministerial duties and coordinate dialogue between the presidency and the finance ministries on economic issues.

The vice president has a master’s degree in economics from the University of the Andes and previously served as minister of planning (1990-1991) and housing (2002-2005).

Solís named Celso Gamboa, the current vice minister of public security and head of the Costa Rican intelligence agency, as his new public security minister.

Gamboa, 37, told The Tico Times that prevention would be the primary focus of his term as chief law enforcement officer. “I prefer that no one gets killed so that we don’t have to go out and catch them. I’d prefer the event never happens in the first place.”

The vice minister, the only holdover from President Laura Chinchilla’s administration, said he would direct resources to at-risk youth crime prevention programs.

“That’s where we need to put all our resources, because they’re the Costa Rica of tomorrow,” he said.

Gamboa described himself as a technocrat and said he had no political tint when asked if there would be any issue serving in two governments of different political affiliation.

Solís named Carlos Segnini, a 44-year-old lawyer, to head the troubled Public Works and Transport Ministry, or MOPT. The Citizen Action Party leader said that revamping MOPT and re-establishing its ability to perform large public works projects, especially in transportation, was a top priority of his incoming government.

Solís said he would not name anyone to the communications minister post, adding that his government would have a more “austere” publicity budget than Chinchilla’s government. Solís joked to a scrum of reporters that they were all professionals and the he intended to continue Costa Rica’s tradition of access to ministers.

Solís, who plans to freeze ministerial salaries, said none of his Cabinet nods turned down the position because of pay.

Here’s a full list of the posts Solís announced Monday:
Presidency Ministry (Chief of Staff): Melvin Jimenez Marín

Finance Ministry: Helio Fallas Venegas

Public Works & Transport Ministry: Carlos Segnini Villalobos

Public Security and Interior Ministry: Celso Gamboa Sánchez

Education Ministry: Sonia Marta Mora Escalante

Labor Ministry: Víctor Manuel Morales Mora

Energy and Environment Ministry: Edgar Gutiérrez

Health Ministry: María Elena Lopez Núñez

Costa Rican Tourism Institute: Wilhelm von Breymann Barquero

Central Bank: Olivier Castro Pérez

Culture and Youth Ministry: Elizabeth Fonseca Corrales

Foreign Trade Ministry: Alexander Mora Delgado

Economy Ministry: Welmer Ramos González

National Institute for Women: Alejandra Mora Mora

Costa Rican Electricity Institute: Carlos Manuel Obregón Quesada

Sports Ministry: Carolina Muari Carabaguías

National Water and Sewer Institute: Yamileth Astorga Espeleta

Planning Ministry: Olga Marta Sánchez Oviedo

National Insurance Institute: Sergio Iván Alfaro Salas

Mixed Institute for Social Aid : Carlos Alvarado Quesada
(Not Pictured)

Trending Now

What the Caribbean Green Alert Means for Your Weekend Plans

If you are going to the Caribbean coast or the Northern Zone over the next few days, plan for rain and give yourself more...
Read more

What happened to Galeria Namu?

Founded in 1998, Galeria Namu had become a must-visit attraction for tourists visiting San Jose, as well as for many nationals, interested in seeing...
Read more

Costa Rica Flooding Forces 500 Into Shelters as Pacific Side Runs Dry

Two tropical waves in three days left the Caribbean and Northern Zone saturated while the Pacific sits in its driest stretch of the year. Here is what the next four weeks look like.
Read more

Five Costa Rican Surfers Advance at Playa Hermosa WSL Event

Five Costa Rican surfers remain in contention at the Garabito Surf City Pro after advancing to the round of 32 at the World Surf...
Read more

The Unexpected Reason Some Travelers May Prefer Costa Rica

My friend Tomas has worked most of his life in one kind of tourism or another. He’s 100 percent Tico but spent many years...
Read more

One of Costa Rica’s Must-Do Trips: The Water Taxi from Sierpe to Drake Bay

There are some trips in Costa Rica where the journey is every bit as memorable as the destination. The water taxi from Sierpe to...
Read more

Guanacaste Airport Outpaces Costa Rica’s Main Airport

Costa Rica welcomed more than 2 million international tourists during the first seven months of 2026, but the clearest sign of change was not...
Read more

Costa Rica Hands Macho Coca and Compadre to US Agents in New York Cases

Costa Rica surrendered two men wanted on United States drug trafficking charges to American agents on this morning, closing extradition proceedings that had run...
Read more

Costa Rica President Declares Security and Intelligence Information a ‘State Secret’

President Laura Fernández has placed a broad range of Costa Rican security and intelligence information under a “State Secret” designation, restricting public access to...
Read more
The Tico Times
The Tico Times
🌴 The Weekly Pura Vida

Costa Rica, Once a Week

The week's top stories, weather & insider tips — delivered every Sunday. One email, zero clutter.

🔒 Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel
Tico Times Logo

© 2026 The Tico Times

Services

Support