Evangelical Alliance lawyer: Costa Rica should reduce limits on religious propaganda

In the ruling he referred to, released Tuesday, the TSE indicated that a document distributed by Catholic leaders and evangelical pastors before the first round of the country’s presidential elections on Feb. 4 constituted “a threat to the free exercise of the right to vote.”

The document in question was circulated in January, when the candidacy of evangelical preacher and then-legislator began to gather steam thanks to his pronouncements against gay marriage. It was published during a day of prayer and called on the Costa Rican population to “meditate before God and their consciences their vote for president, vice president and legislators.”

“TSE magistrates determined that the joint statement mixed political and election activity terms with religious expressions, which, through their combination, represented a threat to the free exercise of the right to vote,” the TSE ruling stated.

Costa Rica’s Election Code states that “any form of propaganda that, based on people’s religious beliefs or invoking religious motivations, incites the citizenry in general or specific citizens to adhere to or separate from any party or candidate, is prohibited.”