TSE cancels credentials of Paraíso council member and appoints substitute

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal canceled the credential of the proprietary councilwoman of the district of Paraíso, canton of Paraíso, province of Cartago, Nidia del Carmen Bonilla Soto, and designated in her place Marianela Román Rojas, a non-elected candidate of the Unidos Podemos (PUP) party. The decision is contained in resolution No. 8961-M-2026, issued at fourteen hours forty minutes on October 1, 2026, and published in La Gaceta No. 191 on Friday, October 9, 2026.

The appointment is resolved within case file No. 312-2026, processed as proceedings for the cancellation of credentials of a proprietary council member of the district of Paraíso. The Tribunal bases its decision on Article 56 of the Municipal Code, which allows district council members to resign from their positions and empowers the TSE to carry out the substitution, and on Article 208 of the Electoral Code, which orders the vacancy to be filled by the next non-elected candidate from the list of the party that nominated the person resigning.

The procedure was activated by official letter No. MUPA-CONMU-CAEN-1435-2026 dated September 25, 2026, sent by the secretary of the Municipal Council of Paraíso, Cinthya Fernández Montenegro, in which it was reported that said body acknowledged the resignation in its ordinary session No. 147-2026 on September 22, 2026. The councilwoman had been elected on the PUP list according to resolution No. 2467-E11-2024 at 14:30 hours on March 18, 2024.

The resignation and the vacancy

The TSE considered it proven that Nidia del Carmen Bonilla Soto, identity card 302760412, was elected proprietary councilwoman of the district of Paraíso and that she submitted her resignation from the position. The Municipal Council of Paraíso acknowledged the resignation in ordinary session No. 147-2026 on September 22, 2026, and sent a copy of the resignation letter along with the respective agreement.

Given this resignation, the Tribunal determined that it was appropriate to cancel the credential and fill the vacant position in accordance with Article 208 of the Electoral Code, the rule governing the designation of those who were not elected on the party list.

The designation of the substitute

Upon the occurrence of the vacancy, the TSE filled it with the next non-elected candidate from the PUP list for the proprietary council positions of the district of Paraíso. The person in this case is Marianela Román Rojas, identity card 303340465, who is designated as proprietary councilwoman.

• Position: proprietary councilwoman of the District Council of Paraíso, canton of Paraíso, province of Cartago.
• Nominating party: Unidos Podemos (PUP).
• Validity: from her swearing-in until April 30, 2028.

Notifications and publication

The resolution orders the notification of the act to the parties and the involved bodies, as well as its publication in the Official Gazette:

• Nidia del Carmen Bonilla Soto, outgoing councilwoman.
• Marianela Román Rojas, new proprietary councilwoman.
• Municipal Council of Paraíso.
• District Council of Paraíso.

The agreement bears the signatures of magistrates Max Alberto Esquivel Faerron, Zetty María Bou Valverde, and Luis Diego Brenes Villalobos, and was drafted by magistrate Brenes Villalobos. The publication was carried out with an exemption of fees.

The resolution guarantees the continuity of the representation of the district of Paraíso in the District Council until the end of the municipal term in April 2028, and confirms the legal mechanism by which the TSE fills vacancies due to resignation in district council seats without calling for new elections.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 191 of Friday, October 9, 2026, Resolutions of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, p. 94 (official reference: IN202601131512).