Silvia Hernández Sánchez

Hernández was born in San José on November 21, 1976,[1] the oldest of five children and only daughter of Freddy Hernández and María de los Ángeles Sánchez.[2] Her paternal grandfather was a diplomat and deputy in the government of Daniel Oduber.[2]

Hernández attended public school in Turrialba and Siquirres,[2] before graduating from Bryant High School in Arkansas in 1996 through an exchange program.[1][2] She studied at Universidad Regiomontana in Monterrey, Mexico, before completing a Bachelor of Economics at the Latin University of Costa Rica.[1] While studying, she worked in a call center, and in 2002, she was hit by a car on her way home, breaking both legs and requiring spinal surgery.[2] After spending six months in rehabilitation, she received a scholarship to study in The Netherlands.[2] She has a Masters in Development Economics from Erasmus University and a Masters in International Markets from the University of Salamanca.[3]

Hernández is an economist,[3] and has taught at Lead University in San José.[1][4] From 2006 to 2007, she was an economic advisor to Vice President Kevin Casas Zamora.[2]

Hernández was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a PLN deputy from San José.[2] She worked as Deputy Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy in the government of Laura Chinchilla from 2012 to 2014.[3][5] She has been president of the Tax Affair Commission, as well as a member of the Science, Technology and Education and OECD Special Commissions.[3] In April 2019, she was elected chair of the National Liberation Party.[3]

Hernández has published opinion pieces and analysis in La Republica, El Financiero and Dos Magazine.[1]

Hernández was elected President of the Legislative Assembly on May 1, 2021 with 42 votes, and is the fourth woman to hold the position.[6][7][8]

Hernández married Rigoberto Zúñiga, a real estate developer, in 2009 and lives in Cartago. They have one daughter.[2] She is Catholic.[2]