Women play an important role in the 2014 presidential elections as each of the five major political parties choosing a woman in the vice-presidential seat.
Silvia Lara is the choice of the Partido Liberacion Nacional (PLN). The Partido Accion Cuidadana (PAC) has named Ana Helena Chacón. The Partido Unidad Social Cristiana’s (PUSC) choice is Patricia Vega. Dagmar Facio is the choice of the Frente Amplio. And, the Movimieto Libertario has chosen Abriel Gorienko.
The 1949 Constitution of Costa Rica established two Vice-Presidencies of Costa Rica, which are directly elected through a popular vote on a ticket with the President for a period of four years, with no immediate re-election. There has been various incarnations of the office. Vice Presidents replace the President in cases of temporary or permanent absence.
Throughout the history of independent Costa Rica, there have been different systems to cover the temporary or permanent absence of a President.
Since 1948, there have been only four women vice-presidents: Astrid Fischel Volio and Elizabeth Odio Benito (1998-2002), Lineth Saborío Chaverri (2002-2006) and Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2006 – resigned 8 October 2008 to launch her presidential campaign). In each case, these women have acted as interim president, while Chinchilla went on to be elected president for the 2010-2014 term.
Prior to 1948, no woman ever held the post of vice-president, designate to the presidency or vice-head-of-state (the term kept changing over the ages).
The lack of women in Costa Rica politics prior to 1948 is because women were given the right to vote in 1948.
