When Costa Ricans vote on Sunday, they will be deciding more than who leads the country next. The election may also determine whether the governing style of the current administration is criticized by opponents for weakening democratic checks. President Rodrigo Chaves, a right-wing populist barred by law from seeking immediate re-election, has retained strong public support despite clashes with the judiciary and electoral authorities. His chosen successor, Laura Fernández, ha

Thambithurai Muthukumarasamy, a human-rights activist known professionally as T. Kumar, died on Jan. 19 at 76. His lifelong advocacy for victims of state repression around the world was deeply shaped by his own experiences as a political prisoner in Sri Lanka, where he spent years incarcerated for his role as a resistance leader. His death was confirmed by Amnesty International, where he worked for more than two decades. His sister, Krishnal Muthukumarasamy, said the cause wa