Costa Rica TSE rejects ROP pension fund referendum

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Costa Rica has rejected a request to hold a referendum regarding the full withdrawal of funds from the Mandatory Complementary Pension Regime (ROP). The decision, issued via resolution 8939-E9-2026, stems from Article 105 of the Political Constitution, which expressly prohibits popular consultations on matters related to pensions.

The request was submitted by a group of citizens and supported by the ANEP, including constitutional lawyer Alex Solís Fallas. The proponents argued that the ROP should be treated as individual savings rather than a pension, as it is a capitalizable, individual asset. However, the TSE maintained that it lacks the authority to authorize signature collection for such a project, noting that it has applied this same constitutional interpretation in previous rulings in 2019, 2021, and 2025.