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Costa Rica Votes in National Elections

   VOA News 07 February 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   Costa  Rica's  National  Liberation Party presidential candidate Laura
   Chinchilla  waves  to  supporters after voting at a polling station in
   San Jose, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.

   Costa  Ricans  are  voting  in  national  elections Sunday, with polls
   indicating the country may elect its first female president.
   Laura Chinchilla is the frontrunner among seven candidates. She served
   as vice president under current President Oscar Arias.
   Chinchilla  has  promised  to  continue  Mr.  Arias' business-friendly
   policies and to take measures to curb rising crime.
   Her main challengers are Otto Guevara, who has called for tax cuts and
   adopting  the  U.S. dollar as currency, and economist Otton Solis, who
   wants  to  renegotiate  the  terms  of  the Central America Free Trade
   Agreement with the United States.
   A  candidate  must  win  at  least  40  percent of the vote to avoid a
   runoff.
   Costa  Ricans  are  also  choosing  a  new  legislature  and municipal
   leaders.
   Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.

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