Rocío Aguilar, a Costa Rican politician and accountant, resigned from her position as the Minister of Finance in October 2020. She cited personal reasons for her resignation, although it came amidst a period of financial turmoil and public discontent in Costa Rica.
Rocío Aguilar had been serving as the Minister of Finance since May 2018, appointed by President Carlos Alvarado Quesada. Her tenure was marked by efforts to stabilize the country’s finances and implement a fiscal reform package aimed at addressing Costa Rica’s growing deficit and public debt, which had been a source of concern for international credit rating agencies.
Aguilar’s resignation occurred during a particularly challenging time for Costa Rica’s economy, which was facing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic exacerbated the country’s financial issues, leading to increased unemployment and economic contraction. Prior to her resignation, Aguilar had been working on the implementation of a controversial value-added tax (VAT) and a series of spending cuts, which were met with resistance from various sectors of society.
Her departure was seen as a significant loss for the Alvarado administration, as Aguilar was regarded as a key figure in the government’s economic team. Her expertise as a former superintendent of financial institutions and her role in the fiscal reform were considered crucial in navigating the country through its economic challenges.
Following her resignation, Rocío Aguilar remained active in public discourse, occasionally commenting on national financial matters and advocating for fiscal responsibility. Her successor was tasked with continuing the efforts to stabilize the economy and manage the fiscal deficit, which remained a pressing issue for Costa Rica.
