Analysts See Luis Guillermo Solís as a Sign that Politics as Usual is (almost) Over in Costa Rica
Analysts See Luis Guillermo Solís as a Sign that Politics as Usual is (almost) Over in Costa Rica
As the country faces a runoff, COA’s Eric Farnsworth suggests that Costa Ricans are not looking for radical change, but rather for “change within a certain structure.”
Red and yellow Citizen Action Party (PAC) flags waved so thick in the air Sunday night that supporters struggled to see their candidate on stage.
Dark horse candidate Luis Guillermo Solís of the PAC delighted supporters and shocked opponents as he tallied more support than any of the other 12 presidential candidates, forcing the election into an April 6 runoff, the second in the country’s history.
“I’m very surprised, really excited, I really hoped Costa Rica would make this change. It’s really important for us that we get rid of the previous party, National Liberation,” said Carlina Barboza, a 27-year-old law student at the PAC rally Sunday in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, east of San José....
“It’s not radical change people are looking for it. It’s change within a certain structure,” said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.
“Solís is seen as an outsider candidate but in reality he’s part of the establishment. He’s not going to be dramatic change but he might do something differently,” he added.
Despite the communist scare tactics hurdled against the race’s progressive candidates by Araya and Guevara, Farnsworth said business was not likely to flee Costa Rica in the event of a Solís presidency.
“I think either of these candidates would be acceptable in the eyes of business. This is not an earthquake in terms of Latin American politics,” he said, noting that Costa Rica was unlikely to see dramatic swings in its economic policy between Araya and the PAC candidate....
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