The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) – electoral tribunal – yesterday closed the registration for presidential candidates, vice-presidents and legislators, officially marking the 2014 presidential elections campaign.
In total, 1.113 candidates from 21 political parties are registered, who for the next three months will be fighting for 60 elected positions that will be decided by the people on February 2, 2014.
Of the 21 parties, 14 are national, the other 7 provincial. Only national parties can submit a candidate for the presidency, but only 13 did so for the 2014 elections, the Alianza Patriótica.
Running for president was first to register, Johnny Araya, candidate for the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN); Rodolfo Piza for the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC); Luis Guillermo Solís, for the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC); Otto Guevara, for theMovimiento Libertario; and, José María Villalta, for the Frente Amplio.
The list of candidates continues with, José Manuel Echandi, of the Avance Nacional; Héctor Monestel, of the Partido de los Trabajadores; Sergio Mena, of the Nueva Generación; Carlos Avendaño, of the Restauración Nacional; and Justo Orozco, of the Renovación Costarricense.
Late comers, registering in the final hours of Friday afternoon are, José Miguel Corrales, of the partido Patria Nueva; Óscar López, of the Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE); and, Wálter Muñoz, of the Partido Integración Nacional (PIN).