Costa Ricans go to the polls to elect a president in the second round

SAN JOSÉ (Reuters) – Costa Ricans are voting in the second round of Sunday’s national elections. debt and social discontent.

The latest poll gave economist Rodrigo Chaves, a longtime former World Bank employee, a slight advantage over former president José Maria Figueres.

According to a poll released last Tuesday by the University of Costa Rica, Chaves received 41% support, while Figueres reached 38%, with many voters still undecided.

Chaves, who also briefly served as finance minister to former president Carlos Alvarado, came second in the first election held in February.

Viewed as a renegade, he has promised to shake up the political elite, even vowing to use the referendums to bypass Congress and bring change.

“If people leave their homes to vote, it’s going to be a rout, it’s going to be a tsunami,” Chaves said confidently after Sunday’s vote.

Figueres, whose father also served three terms as president, campaigned on the basis of his family’s political legacy and experience. It has promised to revive the post-pandemic economy and strengthen green industries in the traditionally environmentally progressive country.

“We will vote with joy, respecting everyone’s preferences, but strengthening our democratic system,” Figueres told reporters after the vote.

Some voters said on their way to polling stations they remained indifferent to both candidates whose political careers were tarnished by allegations of misconduct.

During her tenure at the World Bank, Chaves faced allegations of sexual harassment and denied it. Figueres resigned as executive director of the World Economic Forum in 2004 amid accusations that he had influenced public contracts with telecommunications company Alcatel in Costa Rica, a case that never went to court.

(by Diego Oré and Álvaro Murillo)