The World's 50 Greatest Leaders

Rank
15
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Claudia Dobles

WGL05.19-Claudia Dobles
SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA - MAY 08: Carlos Alvarado elected President of Costa Rica and first lady Claudia Dobles greet during Inauguration Day of Costa Rica elected President Carlos Alvarado at Plaza de la Democracia on May 08, 2018 in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo by Arnoldo Robert/Getty Images)Arnoldo Robert—Getty Images
  • Title
    First Lady
  • Affiliation
    Costa Rica

Dobles helped her husband, Carlos Alvarado, win election in 2018 with a pledge to “decarbonize” Costa Rica by 2050. An architect and urban planner, she’s now in charge of turning that promise into reality—setting deadlines, brokering alliances, and raising money. Job one: replacing the antiquated buses and trains that anchor the nation’s transit system with clean electric models.