Figueres concedes defeat as Chaves wins Costa Rica presidential election

Centrist Jose Maria Figueres concedes defeat to right-wing Rodrigo Chaves in election in the Central American country racked by poverty and unemployment.

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Chaves gestures to supporters on the day of Costa Rica's run-off presidential election between him and former leader Jose Maria Figueres, in San Jose, Costa Rica April 3, 2022.
Reuters

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Chaves gestures to supporters on the day of Costa Rica's run-off presidential election between him and former leader Jose Maria Figueres, in San Jose, Costa Rica April 3, 2022.

Centrist former president Jose Maria Figueres has conceded defeat to right-wing former finance minister Rodrigo Chaves in Costa Rica's presidential election.

"Costa Rica has voted and the people have spoken. Since we are democrats we respect that decision," said Figueres, 67, who congratulated Chaves and wished him well on Sunday.

Economist Chaves, 60, had taken a close to six point lead in provisional results released by the top electoral body.

Scandal-tainted candidates

Earlier on Sunday, Costa Ricans voted to choose between two scandal-tainted presidential candidates in a country grappling with sky-high poverty and unemployment.

Figueres was once investigated for corruption while Chaves –– who was slightly ahead in opinion polls –– was previously demoted for sexual harassment.

But with 23 percent of the population living in poverty and unemployment soaring to 14 percent alongside a series of corruption scandals, Costa Ricans seem more focused on the economy as they elect a successor to President Carlos Alvarado.

Polls closed at 6:00 pm (0000 GMT) following a 12-hour election in which 3.5 million of the five million population was eligible to vote.

Voting was carried out "in peace and tranquility," said Gustavo Ramon, spokesperson for the commission overseeing the elections.

The winner will take over from the unpopular Carlos Alvarado next month and their major challenge will be reigniting an economy in crisis.

Covid batters 'happiest' country 

Costa Rica has been described as the "happiest" country in Latin America and praised for its political stability, environmental policies and eco-tourism, but the vital tourism industry was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Alongside Peru, it suffered the largest fall in employment figures in the region between 2019 and 2020.

"Costa Rican society was not poor, they made it poor. Costa Rican society was not unequal, they made it unequal," said Chaves, who voted in mid-morning at a city center school in the capital.

"The country has never before been in an emergency like the one we are going through," said Figueres, who cast his vote at a school on the outskirts of San Jose.

The winner will begin their four-year term on May 8.

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