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Costa Rica 'elects woman leader' Costa Rica elects female leader
(about 3 hours later)
Elections results in Costa Rica have put Laura Chinchilla on course to be the country's first woman president. Costa Rica is set to have its first female president, after election results gave governing party candidate Laura Chinchilla an unassailable lead.
Initial results from Sunday's vote gave her an almost unassailable lead and the main opposition contender, Otton Solis, has conceded. With most votes counted from Sunday's poll, Ms Chinchilla had 47% of the vote, 22 points ahead of the main opposition contender, Otton Solis.
With 47% of votes, Mrs Chinchilla, 50, was 20 percentage points ahead and over the 40% threshold for an outright win. Ms Chinchilla, a former vice-president, has pledged to continue the free-market policies of outgoing head, Oscar Arias.
A former deputy to outgoing President Oscar Arias, she pledges to continue moderate free-market policies. She has also promised to tackle violent crime, a growing issue in Costa Rica.
Mr Solis - who was narrowly defeated by Mr Arias in Costa Rica's previous presidential vote - was quick to declare Mrs Chinchilla the winner. "The biggest challenge we face is criminality, violence and drug-trafficking," Ms Chinchilla, 50, told her supporters.
"With a lot of respect, we accept the reality," the AFP news agency quoted him as telling supporters. Costa Rica, along with other Central American nations, is increasingly being used as a transit route for drugs smuggled from South America to the US market.
Critics of Mrs Chinchilla say she is too close to Mr Arias, and that he will continue to control government policies. She also responded to criticism that she is too close to Mr Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, 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. "I have to justify the confidence placed in me by having an independent government focused on the wellbeing of my country," Ms Chinchilla said.
Mr Solis, who was narrowly defeated by Mr Arias in Costa Rica's previous presidential vote, was quick to declare Ms Chinchilla the winner.
Mr Solis won some 25% of the vote, while the third-placed candidate, Otto Guevara, won 21%.
Costa Rica 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.
Are you from Costa Rica? What is your reaction to Laura Chinchilla's election victory? Send us your comments, videos and pictures.Are you from Costa Rica? What is your reaction to Laura Chinchilla's election victory? Send us your comments, videos and pictures.
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