# Costa Rica Supreme Electoral Tribunal legal challenges

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/costa-rica-supreme-electoral-tribunal-legal-challenges
> Updated: 2026-10-15T22:00:34.000Z. Sources: 27. Developments: 2.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Costa Rica has issued several rulings and objections regarding constitutional and legislative matters.

In late September 2026, the TSE rejected a request to hold a referendum concerning the full withdrawal of funds from the Mandatory Complementary Pension Regime (ROP). The tribunal cited Article 105 of the Political Constitution, which prohibits popular consultations on pension-related matters. This decision followed arguments from proponents who claimed the ROP should be classified as individual savings rather than a pension.

By mid-October 2026, the TSE also formally objected to a legislative proposal aimed at modifying the reelection process for its magistrates. The tribunal argued that the proposed amendment to the Electoral Code is unconstitutional and threatens the independence of the electoral body. The reform would shift the reelection requirement from a Supreme Court vote against a magistrate to a requirement for a two-thirds majority vote in favor of reelection.

## Claims

- Terrorism-related cases will be transferred to standard criminal courts in Caracas and other regions. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- The TSJ ruled the reform project constitutionally valid. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- The NGO Foro Penal recorded over 900 accusations under the law since its inception. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The Supreme Tribunal of Justice abolished four specialized terrorism control courts. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- Acting President Delcy Rodríguez admitted the law was previously misused. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The proposed reform includes decriminalizing specific acts and changing the law's name. (corroborated by 5 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-15: Venezuela TSJ abolishes specialized terrorism courts and approves hate law reform

Venezuela's TSJ has abolished specialized terrorism courts in Caracas, redistributing cases to ordinary courts, and approved a constitutional reform to the controversial Law Against Hate for parliamentary debut

24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/costa-ricas-tse-objects-to-magistrate-reelection-reform

### 2026-09-30: Costa Rica TSE rejects ROP pension fund referendum

Costa Rica's Supreme Electoral Tribunal rejected a request for a referendum to allow full withdrawal of ROP pension funds, citing constitutional prohibitions on pension-related votes.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/costa-rica-tse-rejects-rop-pension-fund-referendum

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Cite as: Costa Rica Supreme Electoral Tribunal legal challenges. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/costa-rica-supreme-electoral-tribunal-legal-challenges