455. Costa Rica Under Fernández Delgado
Sun Feb 08 2026
Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Email: bidemiologunde@gmail.com
In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde breaks down an open-source, intelligence-brief–style profile of Costa Rica's president-elect Laura Fernández Delgado: her leadership signals, governing incentives, and the early indicators that will matter most once she takes office. What kind of decision-maker is she: technocratic operator, movement carrier, or both? How far can a security-first agenda go inside Costa Rica's institutional guardrails—and what would be the regional ripple effects? Does San José tighten alignment with Washington on counternarcotics, cyber, and migration, while still hedging with Beijing on trade and investment? And could deeper security mini-lateralism in Central America reshape the balance between "order" and democratic norms? Framed with the kind of structured analysis Bidemi has used for high-stakes audiences, this episode maps the geopolitical downstream effects, before the first 100 days write the story.
Quick question: when you buy something handmade, do you ever wonder who made it, and where your money really goes? Lembrih is building a marketplace where you can shop Black and African-owned brands and learn the story behind the craft. And the impact is built in: buyers can support vendors directly, and Lembrih also gives back through African-led charities, including $1 per purchase. They’re crowdfunding on Kickstarter now. Back Lembrih at lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter.
Support the show
More
Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's new show: The Work Ethic Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Email: bidemiologunde@gmail.com In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde breaks down an open-source, intelligence-brief–style profile of Costa Rica's president-elect Laura Fernández Delgado: her leadership signals, governing incentives, and the early indicators that will matter most once she takes office. What kind of decision-maker is she: technocratic operator, movement carrier, or both? How far can a security-first agenda go inside Costa Rica's institutional guardrails—and what would be the regional ripple effects? Does San José tighten alignment with Washington on counternarcotics, cyber, and migration, while still hedging with Beijing on trade and investment? And could deeper security mini-lateralism in Central America reshape the balance between "order" and democratic norms? Framed with the kind of structured analysis Bidemi has used for high-stakes audiences, this episode maps the geopolitical downstream effects, before the first 100 days write the story. Quick question: when you buy something handmade, do you ever wonder who made it, and where your money really goes? Lembrih is building a marketplace where you can shop Black and African-owned brands and learn the story behind the craft. And the impact is built in: buyers can support vendors directly, and Lembrih also gives back through African-led charities, including $1 per purchase. They’re crowdfunding on Kickstarter now. Back Lembrih at lembrih.com, or search “Lembrih” on Kickstarter. Support the show