Mary Munive
Mary Denisse Munive Angermüller is a Costa Rican physician and politician who has been the Second Vice-President of Costa Rica under First Vice-President Stephan Brunner and President Rodrigo Chaves Robles since 2022. She has been the Minister of Health since 2023, and was also the Minister of Sports.
Early life and education
Mary Denisse Munive Angermüller was born in San José, Costa Rica, on 10 April 1981. Her parents were immigrants from Peru and she has German ancestry. She was raised in Tibás. She graduated from the University of Costa Rica.Career
Munive became a postgraduate professor of family and community medicine at UCR in 2018. She is the president of the Association of Family and Community Medicine Specialists of Costa Rica.Rodrigo Chaves Robles selected Stephan Brunner and Munive as his vice presidential running mates for the 2022 election. Their campaign won the election. She is a member of the Social Democratic Progress Party. Munive was placed in charge of Chaves' economic team while Stephan Brunner was placed in charge of the economic team.
Munive was Minister of Sports. Joselyn Chacón Madrigal left her position as Minister of Health and three months later she was succeeded by Munive on 10 May 2023.
The National Medical Union filed a complaint against Munive to the Office of the Public Ethics Ombudsman stating that she broke public integrity as the second part of the salary for 800 doctors in the Ministry of Health was not paid in 2023.
Munive opposes restricting abortion rights. Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz called for Munive to be dismissed as Health Minister in 2025, as she had not implemented restrictions placed on abortions in 2019.
The Responsible Paternity Law allows mothers to declare who the father is and mandates DNA testing paternity disputes. Funding for paternity tests is managed by the Health Ministry. The budget for the paternity tests fell from 1 billion colones to 194 million colones between 2023 and 2025.
Political stances
Abortion
Munive opposes further restrictions on abortion and supported the 2019 therapeutic abortion regulation. Her position drew criticism from pro-life groups, who questioned her commitment to their cause and called for her removal. However, she did not prevent the implementation of the October 2025 decree, which was issued while she was on vacation. She faced criticism over the government’s delay in modifying those guidelines, with critics accusing her of obstructing a campaign promise.The October 2025 decree significantly restricted access to abortion in Costa Rica, permitting the procedure only when the mother’s life is in “real and imminent danger,” and removing exceptions related to health risks or fetal inviability.
Munive also faced criticism over budget cuts that threatened DNA testing under Costa Rica’s Responsible Paternity Law, with opponents arguing the cuts undermined children’s rights and conflicted with the government’s pro-life stance.
Affordability and cost-of-living
Munive has linked Costa Rica’s cost-of-living challenges to regional inequalities, unemployment, and weakened social services. She supports locally coordinated policies that integrate health and economic measures, viewing these issues as matters of social welfare and public health requiring collaboration with municipalities rather than exclusive central government action.Munive’s focus on the link between health and social welfare reflects evidence that economic shocks and high living costs influence public health. It also aligns with a policy trend calling for macroeconomic and labor policies to be assessed based on their effects on community health and well-being, rather than only on economic growth or fiscal stability.
Crime
Costa Rica is facing a growing security and homicide crisis, largely attributed to organized crime and drug trafficking. In response, the Chaves administration has shifted toward a more punitive, incarceration-focused approach. Munive has publicly supported this shift, advocating for increased security cooperation with El Salvador and endorsing the construction of a large-scale prison modeled on those promoted by President Nayib Bukele.Government corruption
In a 2022 campaign interview with Diario Extra, then–vice-presidential candidate Mary Munive stated that “transparency is the cure for corruption,” presenting it as a key component of her platform.Munive characterizes corruption as a result of government opacity and entrenched political structures, advocating transparency as the primary solution rather than systemic institutional reform. She aligns herself with President Rodrigo Chaves’ broader anti-corruption and anti-obstructionist narrative, using her positions in the health sector and executive branch to highlight targeted administrative actions, such as dismissals, as evidence of a zero-tolerance approach.
Public health care
The Costa Rican Social Security Fund has faced corruption scandals, severe financial difficulties, and prolonged waiting times for surgical procedures and specialist care. Munive has attributed the crisis to legislative obstruction, a shortage of medical specialists, and institutional inefficiency. In her roles as vice president and minister of health, she has promoted a specific reform package and criticized those she claims are hindering efforts to address the issues.Munive has promoted Bill 24.015, titled Fortalecimiento de la Salud Pública, as her main proposal to address the shortage of medical specialists and long waiting lists. The bill would allow the hiring of specialists under a legal provision known as “inopia,” intended to fill vacancies affecting services within the Costa Rican Social Security Fund.
Waste management
In September 2025, Munive signed a decree mandating regionalized waste management, which drew strong opposition from municipalities. The Ombudsman intervened following concerns about increased costs, inadequate planning, and possible environmental and health risks.Personal life
Munive is married and is the mother of two children.Works cited
News
Web
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century Costa Rican women politicians
Category:Vice presidents of Costa Rica
Category:Women vice presidents of Costa Rica
Category:21st-century Costa Rican politicians
Category:University of Costa Rica alumni
Category:Costa Rican people of German descent
Category:Costa Rican people of Peruvian descent