Costa Rica - Election 2006
Costa Rica, a constitutional democracy with a population of approximately 4.3 million, is governed by a president and unicameral legislative assembly directly elected in free multiparty elections every four years. In February Oscar Arias Sanchez, of the National Liberation Party (PLN), won elections that generally were considered free and fair. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were a few instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority.
While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, the following human rights problems were reported: prison overcrowding in certain facilities; inadequate prison medical services in general; substantial judicial process delays, particularly in pretrial detention and civil and labor cases; antiquated libel laws and excessive penalties for violations; domestic violence against women and children; child prostitution; and child labor.
The constitution provides citizens with the right to change their government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, free, and fair elections based on universal suffrage and by secret ballot every four years. The independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal ensured the integrity of elections, and the authorities and citizens respected election results. Presidents may seek reelection after sitting out two subsequent four-year terms, and assembly members may seek reelection after at least one term out of office.
In the February national elections, Oscar Arias of the PLN won the presidency in elections that generally were considered free and fair. Parliamentary elections were held in parallel with presidential elections on 5 February 2006.
The previous elections in 2002 saw an increase in representation for the rightist Liberty Movement (PML 7 seats) and the newly created Citizen's Action Party (PAC 13 seats) while the ruling Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) and the main opposition National Liberation Party (PLN) lost ground respectively winning 19 and 17 seats.
The main issue at the 2006 elections was the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States. Costa Rica is the only Central American country which has not yet ratified the CAFTA. Most of the main presidential candidates supported ratification of the CAFTA while the PAC presidential nominee Ottón Solís argued for a partial renegotiation of the treaty to protect Costa Rica's small-scale farmers.
Voting took place in a peaceful manner. A total of 65.13 per cent of the country's 2.1 million eligible voters turned out at the polls the lowest turnout in Costa Rican history. Final results of the parliamentary elections gave 25 seats to the PLN and 17 to the PAC followed by the PML with six seats; while the ruling PUSC saw its number of seats reduced to five. The newly-elected Legislative Assembly held its first session on 1 May 2006 and elected Francisco Antonio Pacheco Fernández of the PLN as its new Speaker.
In the presidential contest pre-election polls had predicted a comfortable victory for the outgoing President Oscar Arias (PLN). However when polling closed Arias and Solís were neck and neck and a recount was ordered. On 7 March 2006 the Supreme Electoral Court released the final results confirming Arias' victory with 40.80 per cent of the votes 1.1 per cent more than for Solís. He was sworn in for a second term on 8 May 2006.
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal requires that a minimum of 40 percent of candidates for elective office be female and that women's names be placed accordingly on the ballots by party slate. The first vice president (who was also the minister of justice), and the ministers of science and technology, health, culture, and public works were women. There were 22 women in the 57-seat legislative assembly, including seven legislative committee chairwomen and the heads of three of the four major party caucuses.
Indigenous people did not play significant roles in politics or government except on issues directly affecting their welfare, largely because of their relatively small numbers and physical isolation. There were no indigenous members in the legislative assembly. There was one black member in the assembly. There were no minority members in the cabinet.
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