2010
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Costa Rica Braces for
Tight Presidential Election
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Costa Rica’s
next presidential election might need a
run-off and the second round could see a
tight finish, according to a poll by Unimer
published in La Nación. 40.9 per cent of
respondents would vote for the ruling
Liberal National Party (PLN) candidate Laura
Chinchilla in next month’s ballot, down 2.1
points since November.
Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement
(ML) is second with 30.4 per cent, followed
by former economy minister Ottón Solís of
the Citizens Action Party (PAC) with 13.7
per cent, Luis Fishman of the Social
Christian Unity Party (PUCS) with 5.9 per
cent, and Rolando Araya of Patriotic
Alliance (AP) with only 1.5 per cent.
Under current regulations, a presidential
run-off would be required if none of the
presidential candidates garner more than 40
per cent of the vote on election day. In a
run-off scenario, Chinchilla is ahead of
Guevara by a two-point margin.
The PLN’s Óscar Arias won the February 2006
presidential election with 40.92 per cent of
all cast ballots. Solís finished in second
place with 39.80 per cent. Arias had headed
the government from 1986 to 1990, and was
able to run again after the Costa Rican
Legislative Assembly opted to bring back
presidential re-election in 2003. He was
sworn in for the second time in May 2006.
On Jan. 18, Chinchilla announced she has
filed a lawsuit for libel against Guevara,
after the candidate suggested that she lives
in a house valued at close to $900,000 U.S.
Chinchilla denied this allegation, saying
that her home is worth $300,000 U.S., and
that she bought it with her husband through
a mortgage—which they are still paying.
Chicnhilla explained her reason to sue her
opponent, saying, "I do not have great
wealth; I have my house and a 1999 model
vehicle. My only asset is my honour and
honesty, and that is priceless."
Costa Ricans will vote in a general election
on Feb. 7.
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