Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla votes in Desamparados

President Laura Chinchilla Miranda cast her vote Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at Joaquín García Monge school in the canton of Desamparados, south of the capital.

A large crowd had gathered at the school’s entrance, and it took the president more than a half hour to arrive at polling center No. 500, where she was registered to vote.

Chinchilla arrived with her parents, former comptroller general Rafael Chinchilla and Emilse Miranda.

“My message has always been that the people should keep an eye on their public officials,” the president’s father said.

Chinchilla said she is ruling out a return to public office after she leaves the presidency in May, but may work with international organizations.

Said the outgoing president: “I already cast my vote. I exercised my right to decide. I reaffirmed my freedom to choose, and thus I have strengthened our democracy.”