Costa Rican presidential candidate says he would change IMF agreement

Costa Rican presidential candidate Jose Maria Figueres of the National Liberation Party (PLN) speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of the presidential election second-round run-off, in Cartago, Costa Rica February 17, 2022. Picture taken February 17, 2022. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez

SAN JOSE (Reuters) - Costa Rica's leading presidential candidate Jose Maria Figueres said he would negotiate adjustments to the country's billion-dollar agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if elected, an effort to contrast his policy with the outgoing president.

Changes to the IMF deal are necessary since Costa Rica's macroeconomic figures have improved since January 2021, when the credit line for $1.8 billion was announced, Figueres told Reuters in an interview on Friday.