No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeElections 2018Candidates kick off an unusual Election Day in Costa Rica

Candidates kick off an unusual Election Day in Costa Rica

Polling stations across Costa Rica opened early Sunday for a presidential election that has split the country between an ultra-conservative evangelical preacher and a former Cabinet minister from the center-left ruling party.

The result will decide who leads the small Central American nation of five million people for the next four years.

Most recent polls suggest a neck-and-neck race between Fabricio Alvarado, a right-wing 43-year-old preacher, journalist and singer, and Carlos Alvarado (no relation), a 38-year-old former journalist who was a labor minister in the outgoing government.

Candidate Carlos Alvarado at church on Election Day in Costa Rica, April 1, 2018.
Roberto Delgado Webb @delgadowebb / The Tico Times

Fabricio Alvarado surged from nowhere in the first round of the election held in February, triumphing over a field of 13 candidates by fiercely criticizing gay marriage.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights in January urged the recognition of same-sex marriages, setting off a polarizing debate in Costa Rica. The country is both socially conservative and proud of its progressive human rights record.

Fabricio Alvarado and Laura Moscoa in Desamparados, Costa Rica on April 1, 2018.
Jonathan Jiménez @jjimenezfl / The Tico Times

A ‘photo finish’?

Carlos Alvarado, in contrast, ran on a broad campaign to tackle the priorities identified by his Citizens’ Action Party (PAC), which has been in power since 2014 under outgoing President Luis Guillermo Solis.

Those issues include reining in a steadily climbing deficit, boosting education and upholding ecological standards.

In the first round, the preacher won 25 percent of the ballots against 22 percent for the former labor minister  – both well short of the 40 percent required to avoid a run-off.

The last pre-election survey in March suggested a very tight election: Fabricio Alvarado was credited with 43 percent support against 42 percent for Carlos Alvarado.

“Neither of the two candidates motivates me sufficiently to give my support,” the head of the small Liberal Progressive Party, Eli Feinzaig, wrote on his social media accounts. “But, ultimately, one of them has done enough to earn my clear and unequivocal repudiation.”

Feinzaig went on to declare that he would vote for Carlos Alvarado.

Winning over undecided or ambivalent voters is key for both candidates.

Rodolfo Piza and Carlos Alvarado in San José, Costa Rica on April 1, 2018.
Roberto Delgado Webb @delgadowebb / The Tico Times

“The population still isn’t clear on what development model it wants,” a political analyst from the Latin American Social Sciences Institute, Gustavo Araya, told AFP.

“This is a photo finish. It isn’t statistically clear who will be the victor between these opposing platforms,” he said.

Some 3.3 million voters are being called to decide the election.

Laura Moscoa votes in Desamparados, Costa Rica
Jonathan Jiménez @jjimenezfl / The Tico Times

Polling is taking place on Easter Sunday, at the end of a four-day holiday weekend. Roads back to the capital San Jose were choked as many voters drove back home to cast their ballots.

Others had yet to make up their minds.

“Voting is so difficult. The two who are left aren’t to my taste. I don’t know if I’m going to vote. Truly, I’m undecided,” said Ligia Vargas, a street vendor who sells fruits and juice in the main city park.

Welcome to The Tico Times’ all-day election coverage in Costa Rica

Trending Now

Marriott Expands in Costa Rica with Adventure-Focused Hotel

Marriott is set to grow its footprint in Costa Rica by opening a new hotel in the Central Pacific area next year. The Santa...

El Salvador Rolls Out Bitcoin Bonds Amid Crypto Surge

El Salvador has pushed forward with its bold experiment in cryptocurrency, launching Bitcoin-backed bonds that tie the nation's finances directly to the volatile world...

Panama Denounces New U.S. Pressure Over Chinese Companies

Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino on Thursday accused the United States of pressuring Panamanian officials to reduce the presence of Chinese companies in the...

Costa Rica Targets June 2026 for New High-Security Prison

Costa Rica faces a sharp increase in homicides tied to drug trafficking, putting heavy strain on its prisons. In response, the government has moved...

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...

JetBlue Flash Sale: Fort Lauderdale to Liberia Flights Ends Today

Those looking for a deal on airfare and eyeing a trip between Florida and Costa Rica now have a chance to get one with...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica