Thursday 25 April 2024

Costa Rica Gets Ready To Elect A President, Closing A Strange and Unusual Presidential Campaign

Paying the bills

Latest

San Jose Airport speeds up departures and arrivals of tourists in less than an hour

QCOSTARICA -- A series of recent changes carried out...

Shortage of available hospital beds back home strands Canadian in Costa Rica

QCOSTARICA  - Suffering a medical emergency, whether it be...

The Changes in the 6 months before death symptoms- Both Physical and Emotional

Individuals and their families embark on a dramatic journey...

What occurs once your nation operates on 99 percent renewable energy?

Q24N (The Verge) While most of the world still...

How relocating from the U.S. to Costa Rica’s ‘blue zone’ totally changed this family’s life forever

QCOSTARICA (CTV) When Kema Ward-Hopper and her then-fiance Nicholas...

UAE, Costa Rica Sign Trade Deal

QCOSTARICA -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Costa...

Coffee or Chocolate? Why not both?

QCOSTARICA -San José is a city of surprises. Two...

Dollar Exchange

¢499.60 BUY

¢505.01 SELL

25 April 2024 - At The Banks - Source: BCCR

Paying the bills

Share

costa-rica-2014-elections-750

The man who could be president and has sat out most this election campaign, withdrawing from politicking on March 5, will sit out Sunday’s election as well.

Partido Liberacion Nacional (PLN) party presidential candidate, Johnny Araya, told the press Friday that he will stay home on Sunday. He is expected to make an appearance at Balcon Verde, the PLN campaign headquarters in La Sabana, a few blocks from the Araya home, after the election results are in.

- Advertisement -

Meanwhile, Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) presidential candidate, Luis Guillermo Solís, said he will be spending the time between today and tomorrow to call on his future ministers, looking to a secured win.

“I will start to make calls this weekend”, said Solís during a walk along the Bulevar (Avenida Central) in downtown San José.

Asked about his cabinet choices, the candidate says he has been spending a lot of time on the subject and will take full responsibibility for his choices, preferring to make them without handing the decision process to any other person or committee. “If I am wrong, it will be I who made the mistake”, said Solís.

The candidate said his choice of cabinet ministers will be announced in two parts, one on April 14 and the other on the 21st. For now, the only names we know for certain are the vice-presidential candidates, Helio Fallas and Ana Helena Chacón, who are expected each to head a ministry.

The election has been everything but ordinary.

This is the second time in the country’s modern history (after 1948) that a presidential campaign will be decided by a run-off vote. The last was in 2002 when Rolando Araya (brother of Johnny Araya) lost to Abel Pacecho. Under Costa Rica’s election rules, to be declared a winner, a candidate must receive 40% or more of the votes.

- Advertisement -

And, never has a presidential candidate withdrawn from an election. Araya, on March 5, one month after coming in second in the February 2 elections, announced that he would stop campaigning. Elections rules do not allow a candidate to resign, but do not compel a candidate to take active part in the campaign. Or vote for that matter.

Although Araya is out of the presidential race, his name is on the ballot and can be elected president. According to the head of the elections tribunal (TSE), Araya does not have to renounce his presidency if elected. In fact, the PLN candidate said publicly that he will serve out his term if elected.

Voter turn out on Sunday is expected to be low. That could work against the PAC.

Reading the comments on the social media, many are expected to vote for Araya, not that they want Araya a president, but don’t want Solis and the PAC, a party that some regard as “Chavista” in nature.

- Advertisement -
Paying the bills
Rico
Ricohttp://www.theqmedia.com
"Rico" is the crazy mind behind the Q media websites, a series of online magazines where everything is Q! In these times of new normal, stay at home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.

Related Articles

San Jose Airport speeds up departures and arrivals of tourists in less than an hour

QCOSTARICA -- A series of recent changes carried out by Costa...

Shortage of available hospital beds back home strands Canadian in Costa Rica

QCOSTARICA  - Suffering a medical emergency, whether it be something from...

Subscribe to our stories

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.

Discover more from Q COSTA RICA

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading