SAN JOSÉ — Costa Rica on Sunday voted for a former minister from the center-left ruling party as its next president, rejecting his rival, an ultra-conservative preacher who had campaigned strongly against gay marriage.
Carlos Alvarado, a former labor minister under current President Luis Guillermo Solis, who was barred from seeking a second term, won a convincing 60.7% of the ballots in the run-off, electoral authorities said, based on returns from more than 90% of polling stations.
“There is much more that unites us than divides us,” he told a cheering crowd in his victory speech, congratulating the defeated candidate. “My duty is to unite this republic, to take it forward, so it is a leading republic of the 21st century.”
The right-wing preacher, Farbicio Alvarado (no relation), garnered 39.3%. He quickly conceded defeat to a crowd of disappointed supporters, thanked God and congratulated Carlos Alvarado on his triumph. “We have not won the election, but we can accept this result with our heads held high,” he said.
Carlos Alvarado highlighted several issues during the campaign — boosting education, reducing the growing deficit, enhancing environmental protections — while incarnating continuity with the outgoing leader.
One of the biggest challenges facing Mr. Alvarado as he takes charge will be trying to cut down the deficit, which has ballooned to 6.3% of gross domestic product.
To do so, he will have to succeed where his predecessors have failed, in pushing through unpopular measures to increase tax collection.
On gay marriage, he has declared himself in favor, aligning with an exhortation issued in January from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that such unions be recognized. — AFP
