President appoints representatives of the Council for Children and Adolescents until 2030

The President of the Republic, Laura Fernández Delgado, appointed through agreement N° 087-P the primary and alternate representatives of ministries and institutions before the National Council for Children and Adolescents. The designation was published in La Gaceta N° 193 on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and is effective from the date of swearing-in until May 7, 2030.

The agreement is based on articles 172, 173, and 174 of the Children and Adolescents Code, Law N° 7739 of January 6, 1998; articles 2, 8, 9, and 10 of the Regulations of the National Council for Children and Adolescents, Executive Decree N° 41452-MP of November 6, 2018; and the General Law of Public Administration, N° 6227. The Council is an inter-institutional, inter-sectoral, and collegiate body, non-deconcentrated, attached to the Presidency of the Republic, which operates as a space for deliberation, agreement, and coordination between the Executive Branch, decentralized State institutions, and represented organizations.

The text was issued in San José on September 25, 2026. The proposals were submitted by each head of institution through official letters signed between May and September 2026. The appointments of the social organizations in subsections c), d), h), i), and j) of article 172 remain in effect; therefore, no new designations were made for those representations.

Ministries represented in subsection a)

• José Leonardo Sánchez Hernández, Minister of Public Education, principal; alternate María Alexandra Ulate Espinoza, Academic Vice-Minister.
• Alexander Sánchez Cabo, Minister of Health, principal; alternate Juan Carlos Esquivel Sánchez, Vice-Minister of Health.
• Jorge Rodríguez Vives, Minister of Culture and Youth, principal; alternate Miguel Alberto Arrieta Berrocal, Vice-Minister of Youth.
• María de las Mercedes Flores Badilla, Minister of Labor and Social Security, principal; alternate Gabriela Serrano Chinchilla, Vice-Minister of the Social Area.
• Marlon Andrés Navarro Álvarez, Vice-Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy and acting head of the sports portfolio, principal; alternate Donald Rojas Fernández, national director of the Costa Rican Institute of Sport and Recreation.
• Gabriel Aguilar Vargas, Minister of Justice and Peace, principal; alternate Jorge Enrique Rodríguez Bogle, Vice-Minister of Peace.
• Gerald Campos Valverde, Minister of Public Security, principal; alternate Carolina Castro del Castillo, Administrative Vice-Minister.
• Carla Morales Rojas, Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy, principal; alternate Karol Barboza Calvo, manager of the Development Analysis Area.
• Omer Badilla Toledo, Vice-Minister of Governance and Police and acting Director General of Migration and Foreigners, principal; alternate Rosibel Vargas Durán, Migration manager.

Institutions of subsection b)

• María José Vega Sanabria, executive president of the National Children’s Trust, principal; alternate Ana Argerie Alvarado Ulloa.
• Yorleni León Marchena, executive president of the Mixed Institute of Social Aid, principal; alternate Grettel López Rodríguez.
• Mónica Taylor Hernández, executive president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, principal; alternate Roslyn Mayela Valerín Ramírez.
• Edgar Oviedo Blanco, executive president of the National Learning Institute, principal; alternate Vivian Otárola Gaucherand.
• María Carolina Delgado Ramírez, executive president of the National Institute for Women, principal; alternate Kattia Brenes Herrera.
• José Miguel Jiménez Araya, executive president of the Institute for Municipal Promotion and Advisory, principal; alternate María José Soto Zamora.

Disability, community development and youth

• Bilbia González Ulate, executive director of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, principal member under subsection e); alternate Ana Leonor Sanabria Romero.
• Daniel Vargas Quirós, national director of the National Directorate for Community Development, principal member under subsection f); alternate Susan Dayana Solís Oviedo.
• Esmirna Sánchez Salmerón, executive director of the National Council for Public Policy for Young People, principal member under subsection k); alternate Ana Cristina Araya Amador.
• Natalia Rugama Cañada, member of the Young People’s Committee of Cóbano, principal representative under subsection g); alternate Noami Karina Vargas Villegas, from the Monteverde Committee.

Validity and rules of tenure

The appointments in articles 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are effective from the swearing-in until May 7, 2030. The adolescent representation in article 6 is effective for a period of three years starting from their designation, with the possibility of reelection or removal at the request of the represented sector or organization.

Pursuant to article 9 of the regulations, the principal representation of public institutions corresponds to the person holding the highest institutional hierarchy, who designates their alternate, ensuring they are a high-level official with decision-making power. Both individuals must be appointed and sworn in by the Presidency of the Republic.

The Council defines and articulates public policy regarding children and adolescents; therefore, the published integration establishes who will make the sector’s decisions over the coming years. The staggered validity until 2030 and the ratification of existing representations provide continuity to the body, while the incorporation of two adolescents from local committees maintains the direct representation of the underage population within the instance.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 193 of October 13, 2026, Executive Branch, pp. 3-6 (official reference: IN202601132265).