It appears almost certain that Guillermo Solis, the PAC Presidential Candidate will be the next President of Costa Rica. Although I personally agree more with the political platform of the PLN, it would be difficult to understand how their Presidential Candidate, Johnny Araya, would stand much of a second round chance to be elected President.
I’m sure that most voters view him as a “quitter”, in the circumstances.
The real issue now, will be how Guillermo Solis, as President, manages to reign-in Otton Solis, the former PAC Presidential Candidate, from embarking on a “frolic-of-his-own”.
For those of us who have been around for the past couple of Presidential Elections in Costa Rica, the PAC political platform as espoused by Otton Solis, was somewhat different than that currently espoused by Guillermo Solis.
Otton Solis was the “Chavista” of the day, with left-wing views approaching the current views of the Frente Amplio Party and their Leader, Mr. Villalta.
Unfettered support for trade unions such as JAPDEVA, the Moin dock-workers union, was the order of the day. Apparently, this particular support remains dear to Otton Solis, who appears ready, in recently made public statements, to re-visit the Concession Contract granted to the Dutch Company to build the new superport in Moin; something that JAPDEVA does not want.
This statement by Otton Solis flies directly in the face of support voiced by Guillermo Solis for the Concession Contract, should he become President. This particular project is of great economic significance to Costa Rica, and it is of prime importance, in my opinion, that it proceed to fruition unhindered.
It is interesting, that Otton Solis has been a visiting professor at at least one U.S. university over the past decade and has chosen to provide certain of his children with a U.S. university education.
Is this left-wing rhetoric that he chooses to support only a ruse to gain political support, or is there some substance and belief by him in what he is saying? If the latter is true, Costa Rica may be looking at a difficult four years economically speaking, as many foreign corporations choose to take their business and jobs elsewhere because of the political uncertainty in Costa Rica.
It remains to be seen how Otton Solis will perform as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the next Costa Rican Government to be formed in the month of May.