Voters to choose president and 57 members of congress, with current president’s hardline pick Laura Fernández expected to win first round
Costa Rica heads to the polls on Sunday in an election dominated by increasing insecurity and warnings of an authoritarian turn in a country long seen as a model of liberal democracy in the region.
Crime is a big concern for many voters as criminal groups battle to control lucrative cocaine trafficking routes to Europe and the US, casting a shadow on the Central American country famous for its wildlife tourism.
Voters are choosing the president and 57 members of congress for the next four years after a campaign that centred on President Rodrigo Chaves, a polarising figure who has upended Costa Rica’s political system, even though he was unable to run again as the constitution prohibits consecutive terms.
The president’s handpicked candidate, Laura Fernández, 37, a former minister promising a hard line on security, leads the latest polls with about 40% of the vote – enough to secure a first-round win. Meanwhile, the opposition is fragmented, with no candidate exceeding 10%.
