Evangelical lawmaker sides with PLN

Opposition parties could lose control of the Legislative Assembly now that an evangelical Christian lawmaker agreed to ally himself with the ruling party. The National Liberation Party already made a separate deal with the Access Without Exclusion Party.

Costa Rican Renovation member Justo Orozco confirmed his alliance with the PLN on Wednesday, giving the parties 30 votes, enough to take back control of the assembly from the opposition during the annual vote on May 1 to elect assembly leaders.

Earlier this week, Libertarian Movement Party lawmaker Danilo Cubero, who was slated by the opposition to become the next assembly president, said he would no longer seek the seat. Cubero withdrew his name after he was accused of participating in illegal cockfights.

Cubero told the daily La Nación he considers cockfighting a sport, and “he enjoys it as a family tradition.”