TSE cancels credentials of three municipal officials and appoints substitutes

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) canceled the credentials of an alternate councilwoman from Guatuso, the second deputy mayor of Talamanca, and a proprietary councilman from Tucurrique, through three resolutions published in La Gaceta No. 177 on Monday, September 21, 2026. Resolutions No. 7929-M-2026, No. 7927-M-2026, and No. 7926-M-2026, issued between August 24 and 25, 2026, respond to unjustified absences and resignations, and in two of the cases include the appointment of substitutes who will serve until April 30, 2028.

The three decisions are published in the Resolutions section of the TSE (pages 19 to 21 of the official gazette) and apply the Municipal Code and the Electoral Code. Article 208, second paragraph, of the Electoral Code empowers the TSE to arrange the substitution of deputies, council members, or district council members in the event of death, resignation, or incapacity, calling upon the next person on the same list of the party that nominated the outgoing official. The resolutions were signed by magistrates Eugenia María Zamora Chavarría, Max Alberto Esquivel Faerron, and Luis Diego Brenes Villalobos.

Guatuso: unjustified absences for more than two months

Resolution No. 7929-M-2026, issued at 9:30 a.m. on August 25, 2026 (case file No. 271-2026), cancels the credential of Kristel Julyana Loría Villalobos, alternate councilwoman of the Municipality of Guatuso, province of Alajuela. The case file was opened due to alleged unjustified absences, following official letter MGSCM-167-082026 dated August 5, 2026, sent by the council secretary, Ana Lía Espinoza Sequeira, after ordinary session No. 30-2026 on July 28, 2026.

The TSE found it proven that the official did not attend council sessions for more than two months, a cause for loss of credentials provided for in Article 24, subsection b) of the Municipal Code, applicable to alternate council positions according to Article 28. The interested party was notified of the process but did not appear in the case file.

In her place, Brian Alberto Chaves Torres, identity card 207260436, is appointed, the candidate next on the list of alternate council members of the Social Christian Republican Party (PRSC). The appointment is effective from his swearing-in until April 30, 2028.

Talamanca: resignation of the second deputy mayor without a substitute

Resolution No. 7927-M-2026, from 9:00 a.m. on August 25, 2026 (case file No. 274-2026), cancels the credential of Ginette María Jarquín Casanova, second deputy mayor of the Municipality of Talamanca, province of Limón, due to voluntary resignation. The council acknowledged the resignation in ordinary session No. 120 on August 13, 2026, according to certification dated August 21 from secretary Yorleni Obando Guevara.

The TSE applied articles 25 paragraph b) of the Municipal Code and 257 of the Electoral Code, and specified that no appointment is appropriate for that vacancy: current regulations do not provide for the substitution of the position of second vice-mayor, a criterion already established in resolution No. 1296-M-2011. The position remains vacant.

Tucurrique: resignation and double appointment in the district council

Resolution No. 7926-M-2026, from 2:45 p.m. on August 24, 2026 (file No. 273-2026), cancels the credential of Gerardo Luna Moya, ID 302560461, proprietary council member of the Municipal District Council of Tucurrique, canton of Jiménez, province of Cartago, who resigned from his position. The council acknowledged the resignation in ordinary session No. 119-2026 on August 18, 2026, communicated via official letter SM-RPA-CMDT-642-08-2026 from secretary Rocío Portuguez Araya.

Since the list of candidates proposed by the PRSC for the proprietary council seats of Tucurrique was exhausted, the TSE appointed the person who held the first place among the acting alternates, based on article 208 of the Electoral Code and resolution No. 423-M-2013. The appointments are:

• Guillermo Navarro Díaz c.c. Guillermo Apú Roblero, ID 103960023, as proprietary council member.
• Óscar Francisco Serrano Retes, ID 302820863, as alternate council member, in the position left by the former and moving to the last place of their political fraction.

Both appointments are effective from their swearing-in until April 30, 2028.

The three resolutions notify the interested parties and the respective municipal councils, and order their publication in the Official Gazette. For the cantons of Guatuso, Talamanca, and Jiménez, the immediate effect is a rearrangement of the political representation elected in 2024: two vacancies are filled with non-elected candidates from the same party lists, while the second vice-mayoralty of Talamanca will remain without a holder until the end of the constitutional period.

Source: La Gaceta No. 177, Monday, September 21, 2026, Supreme Tribunal of Elections — Resolutions, pp. 19-21 (official reference: No. 7929-M-2026, No. 7927-M-2026, and No. 7926-M-2026).