Right-wing former finance minister Rodrigo Chaves will take over as Costa Rica‘s new president on May 8 after winning Sunday’s election, poised to oversee the challenge of reinvigorating the country’s battered economy.
With 96 percent of the votes counted, Chaves held a close to six percentage point lead in provisional results over Figueres, the centrist former president, according to the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE).
“I receive with the deepest humility this sacred decision of the Costa Rican people… This result for me is not a medal or a trophy, but an enormous responsibility,” the 60-year-old economist said to a crowd of supporters in the capital San Jose. Figueres congratulated Chaves and wished him well in his concession speech.
“Costa Rica has voted and the people have spoken. Since we are democrats we respect that decision,” the 67-year-old said. Unemployment and an economic crisis dominated the campaign between two scandal-tainted candidates relieved not to have their past indiscretions take center stage. Chaves was once demoted for sexual harassment, while Figueres was previously investigated for corruption.
But with 23 percent of the population living in poverty and unemployment soaring to 14 percent alongside a series of corruption scandals, Costa Ricans seemed more focused on the economy as they elected the successor to President Carlos Alvarado.
Voting was carried out “in peace and tranquility,” said TSE spokesman Gustavo Ramon. Chaves will take over from the unpopular Alvarado next month, faced with the major challenge of reigniting an economy in crisis.
Costa Rica has been described as the “happiest” country in Latin America and praised for its political stability, environmental policies and eco-tourism. But the vital tourism industry was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Alongside Peru, it suffered the largest fall in employment figures in the region between 2019 and 2020. Costa Rican society was not poor, they made it poor. Costa Rican society was not unequal, they made it unequal,” said Chaves, who voted in mid-morning at a school in the capital’s city center.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Check Out What Mzansi Noticed On Prophet Bushiri Daughter’s Tombstone
Do you remember the daughter of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri daughter Israella who passed away last year March?
Have you seen her beautiful tombstone that her parents have put for her? You should see her tombstone because it will blow your mind away. Learn more
