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| Costa Rica 'elects woman leader' | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Elections results in Costa Rica have put Laura Chinchilla on course to be the country's first woman president. | Elections results in Costa Rica have put Laura Chinchilla on course to be the country's first woman president. |
| Initial results from Sunday's vote gave her an almost unassailable lead and the main opposition contender, Otton Solis, has conceded. | |
| With 47% of votes, Mrs Chinchilla, 50, was 20 percentage points ahead and over the 40% threshold for an outright win. | With 47% of votes, Mrs Chinchilla, 50, was 20 percentage points ahead and over the 40% threshold for an outright win. |
| A former deputy to outgoing President Oscar Arias, she pledges to continue moderate free-market policies. | A former deputy to outgoing President Oscar Arias, she pledges to continue moderate free-market policies. |
| Mr Solis - who was narrowly defeated by Mr Arias in Costa Rica's previous presidential vote - was quick to declare Mrs Chinchilla the winner. | Mr Solis - who was narrowly defeated by Mr Arias in Costa Rica's previous presidential vote - was quick to declare Mrs Chinchilla the winner. |
| "With a lot of respect, we accept the reality," the AFP news agency quoted him as telling supporters. | "With a lot of respect, we accept the reality," the AFP news agency quoted him as telling supporters. |
| Critics of Mrs Chinchilla say she is too close to Mr Arias, and that he will continue to control government policies. | Critics of Mrs Chinchilla say she is too close to Mr Arias, and that he will continue to control government policies. |
| The party of Mr Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has dominated politics for decades in what is one of Latin America's most stable countries. | The party of Mr Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has dominated politics for decades in what is one of Latin America's most stable countries. |
| The country abolished its army in 1949 and has become known in recent years for tourism and progressive environmental policies. | The country abolished its army in 1949 and has become known in recent years for tourism and progressive environmental policies. |