By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) issued a forceful denunciation on Tuesday against what it describes as a concerted disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its credibility. The wave of attacks, which includes a manipulated photograph of the Tribunal’s President and fabricated quotes from an international expert, comes at a politically sensitive moment as the institution pursues a request before the Legislative Assembly to lift the immunity of President Rodrigo Chaves.
The Tribunal has sounded the alarm, identifying a systematic effort to erode public trust in the nation’s highest electoral authority. Officials argue these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy to delegitimize their constitutional role. The TSE is now demanding accountability and urging citizens to exercise extreme caution with information circulating on social media platforms.
To better understand the legal ramifications of such coordinated disinformation campaigns, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica, who provided his expert analysis on the matter.
Legally, the core challenge with disinformation is that it weaponizes the gaps between free speech protections and laws against defamation. While an individual falsehood might not meet the threshold for a lawsuit, a coordinated campaign is designed for cumulative impact, causing reputational or even economic damage that our current statutes struggle to address effectively. Proving orchestrated intent across multiple anonymous or foreign actors is a significant jurisdictional and evidentiary hurdle.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Lic. Arroyo Vargas adeptly frames the core dilemma: disinformation campaigns are designed to exploit the very legal structures that protect free expression, creating a cumulative impact that our traditional statutes were not built to address. This insight into the jurisdictional and evidentiary hurdles is crucial, and we thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his exceptionally valuable perspective.
One of the most flagrant examples involves the digital media outlet ACR – Noticias Costa Rica. The outlet published an article titled, “Jurist sues the TSE: they accuse the Tribunal of overstepping its functions by asking to remove the President’s immunity.” The unsigned piece was accompanied by a doctored image of TSE President Eugenia Zamora. In the altered photo, she is shown wearing a green and white striped blazer, a piece of clothing the Tribunal states she does not own and has never worn.
The TSE issued a sharp rebuke, specifying the fraudulent nature of the image and demanding immediate corrective action from the publication. The institution considers the use of a manipulated photo by an identifiable media outlet to be a particularly grave offense against its integrity.
Magistrate Zamora does not own that garment and, consequently, has never worn it.
Supreme Electoral Tribunal
The second pillar of the disinformation campaign was deployed on the anonymous Facebook page “El Oráculo de Costa Rica.” A post on this page attributed false statements to José Thompson Jiménez, a highly respected international figure who serves as the Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH) and Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (UNIORE).
The fabricated content falsely portrayed Thompson as a critic of the TSE’s actions regarding the request to lift President Chaves’s immunity. However, Thompson himself swiftly and categorically denied ever making such statements, confirming that the publication was a complete falsehood. This incident highlights the use of reputable names to lend false credibility to defamatory content.
According to the TSE, these events are interconnected elements of a dangerous and calculated strategy. Gustavo Román Jacobo, the Tribunal’s Director General of Strategy and Political Management, characterized the situation as a deliberate effort to attack the institution from multiple angles with a unified, false message.
The concerted narrative of defamation against the TSE and its authorities… operates at different levels, formats, and actors, but systematically reproduces the same lies.
Gustavo Román Jacobo, Director General of Strategy and Political Management of the TSE
Román warned that the ultimate goal of this campaign is to paint a picture of an arbitrary and biased TSE. He explained that this narrative is engineered “to provoke outrage in good-faith Costa Ricans and incite them to violence.” In response, he issued a call to “all democrats” in the nation to unequivocally repudiate these tactics. The TSE has pledged to continue actively monitoring for and publicly denouncing any further attempts to delegitimize its crucial role in safeguarding Costa Rican democracy.
For further information, visit tse.go.cr
About the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE):
The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones is the constitutional body responsible for organizing, directing, and supervising all acts related to elections in Costa Rica. It is a cornerstone of the country’s democratic system, tasked with guaranteeing the purity of the electoral process, the freedom of suffrage, and the political rights of all citizens.
For further information, visit iidh.ed.cr
About the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH):
The Inter-American Institute of Human Rights is an autonomous international academic institution dedicated to the teaching, research, and promotion of human rights in the Americas. It provides education and technical assistance to governments, civil society organizations, and individuals to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law throughout the hemisphere.
For further information, visit uniore.org
About the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (UNIORE):
UNIORE is a non-governmental organization that brings together the electoral bodies of the Americas. Its primary mission is to promote cooperation, exchange of experiences, and mutual support among its members to strengthen electoral systems and promote free, fair, and transparent elections across the continent.
For further information, visit the nearest office of ACR – Noticias Costa Rica
About ACR – Noticias Costa Rica:
ACR – Noticias Costa Rica is a digital media portal that publishes news and commentary on current events in Costa Rica. The outlet was recently identified by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal for publishing an article that featured a manipulated image of the institution’s president.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a renowned legal institution, Bufete de Costa Rica is built upon a foundation of uncompromising integrity and professional distinction. The firm channels its extensive experience serving a diverse clientele into pioneering modern legal solutions and engaging with the community. At the heart of its mission lies a deep-seated belief in democratizing legal knowledge, an effort dedicated to cultivating a more capable and well-informed public.
