Political positions
Dobles has supported policy proposals related to secular governance, social inclusion, and institutional modernization. [3] [4] Her positions include endorsing constitutional reforms to establish a fully secular State by removing the formal religious designation currently present in Costa Rica's legal framework. [5]
She has also supported initiatives centered on equality and non-discrimination, including the reinstatement of the official observance of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia on 17 May [6] ; the restoration of an interinstitutional Presidential Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Affairs [7] ; and the establishment of formal cooperation mechanisms between public institutions and civil-society organizations that work on issues of sexual and gender diversity. [8]
Her policy positions further encompass the implementation of inclusive educational frameworks, expanded access to sexual and reproductive health services, the application of existing technical norms related to therapeutic abortion, and the availability of contraception programs for adolescents, migrants, and other vulnerable groups. [9] [10] She has advocated for the institutional mainstreaming of gender and intersectionality across public agencies, along with broader efforts to modernize State structures, improve access to health services, enhance social protections, and support women and other at-risk populations. [11]
Controversies
Electric passenger train project
During the Alvarado administration, Dobles was one of the most visible promoters of the proposed electric passenger train for the greater Metropolitan area. [13] The initiative sparked broad public debate over its financial and technical feasibility. The Comptroller General issued several technical observations, noting insufficient pre-investment studies, inconsistent interinstitutional coordination, and the need to update demand and fiscal analyses before continuing with the plan. [14]
Opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly also questioned the project's viability and signaled that the international loans required for its financing were unlikely to be approved. [15] Despite this, the government continued to support the initiative and declared it to be of public interest.
Use of public resources
Dobles' office operated with a team of approximately ten advisers paid with public funds [16] , with monthly salaries ranging widely according to role and seniority [17] . This structure was questioned by some legislators, who argued that the First Lady did not hold administrative responsibilities that justified a staff of that size [18] .
Punta Islita helicopter trip
In August 2020, President Alvarado and Dobles [19] traveled with their family to a hotel in Guanacaste by private helicopter. The trip took place during COVID-19 restrictions and at a time when the hotel was not operating for the general public, which generated criticism [20] . Initial government statements indicated that the couple had covered all expenses; subsequent information clarified that the flight costs had been shared between the President and a government minister who helped arrange the trip [21] .
Opposition lawmakers criticized the handling of the situation and questioned the transparency of the explanations provided. [22]
The Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation to determine whether the trip constituted illicit enrichment for the presidential couple [23] . The case was dismissed in 2022 after authorities concluded that all lodging, food, and transportation expenses had been covered with personal funds and that no criminal offense occurred [24] .
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