Politics of Costa Rica

Template:Politics of Costa Rica Politics of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a democratic republic with a strong system of constitutional checks and balances. Executive responsibilities are vested in a president, who is the country's center of power. There also are two vice presidents and a 15-member cabinet that includes one of the vice presidents. The president and 57 Legislative Assembly deputies are elected for 4-year terms. A constitutional amendment approved in 1969 limits presidents and deputies to one term, although a deputy may run again for an Assembly seat after sitting out a term. An amendment to the constitution to allow second presidential terms has been proposed. The constitutionality of the prohibition against a second presidential term also has been challenged in the courts.

The electoral process is supervised by an independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal – a commission of three principal magistrates and six alternates selected by the Supreme Court of Justice. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Justice, composed of 22 magistrates selected for renewable 8-year terms by the Legislative Assembly, and subsidiary courts. A Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, established in 1989, reviews the constitutionality of legislation and executive decrees and all habeas corpus warrants.

The offices of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Procurator General of the Public, and the Ombudsman exercise autonomous oversight of the government. The Comptroller General's office has a statutory responsibility to scrutinize all but the smallest contracts of the public sector and strictly enforces procedural requirements.

Governors appointed by the president head the country's seven provinces, but they exercise little power. There are no provincial legislatures. Autonomous state agencies enjoy considerable operational independence; they include the telecommunications and electrical power monopoly, the nationalized commercial banks, the state insurance monopoly, and the social security agency. Costa Rica has no military and maintains only domestic police and security forces for internal security.

Principal Government Officials
President: Abel Pacheco de la Espriella (2002-2004)
Foreign Minister: Roberto Tovar Faja
Ambassador to the OAS: Walter Niehaus Bonilla
Ambassador to the UN: Bernd Niehaus (permanent office)

Political conditions

Costa Rica long has emphasized the development of democracy and respect for human rights. Until recently, the country's political system has contrasted sharply with many of its Central American and Caribbean neighbors; it has steadily developed and maintained democratic institutions and an orderly, constitutional scheme for government succession. Several factors have contributed to this tendency, including enlightened government leaders, comparative prosperity, flexible class lines, educational opportunities that have created a stable middle class, and high social indicators. Also, because Costa Rica has no armed forces, it has avoided the possibility of political intrusiveness by the military that some neighboring countries have experienced. Costa Rica experienced several unusual days of demonstrations and civil disturbance in early 2000 due to protests over legislation that would have permitted private sector participation in the telecommunications and electrical power sectors. These sectors currently are controlled by state-owned monopolies. The legislation was withdrawn, but the underlying question of the appropriate role of the state in the provision of public services remains sensitive.

Costa Rica's leading political parties are the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC, center right), Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN, center right), Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC, center left) and Partido Movimiento Libertario (ML, Libertarian). Other minor parties include Partido Renovación Costarricense (PRC, Christian) and Fuerza Democrática (FD, left).

In the February 1998 national election, PUSC candidate Miguel Ángel Rodríguez won the presidency over PLN nominee Jose Miguel Corrales. President Rodriguez assumed office 8 May 1998. The PUSC also obtained 27 seats in the 57-member Legislative Assembly, for a plurality, while the PLN gained 23 and five minor parties won seven. Social Christian in philosophy, the PUSC generally favors neoliberalism, conservative fiscal policies, and government reform. President Rodriguez pledged to reduce the country's large internal debt, privatize state-owned utilities, attract additional foreign investment, eliminate social welfare programs, and promote the creation of jobs with decent salaries. The reforms he tried to promote found opposition from several parties, including his own, and he asserted several times the country was "ungovernable".

In the 2002 national election, a new party founded by former PLN Congressman and government Minister Ottón Solís captured 26% of the vote, forcing a runoff election for the first time in the country's history. Abel PACHECO was elected President, under a national unity platform, but continuing most of the neoliberal and conservative policies of Miguel Ángel Rodríguez. This election was also important because new parties won several seats in Congress, more than ever. The PUSC obtained 19 seats, PLN 17 seats, PAC 14 seats, PML 6 seats and PRC one seat.

During the year 2004, several high profile corruption scandals shattered the foundations of PUSC. Two former Presidents from the party, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez and Rafael Ángel Calderón were arrested on corruption charges and are currently waiting for the investigation to end and trial to begin. Also involved in scandals has been José María Figueres, former President from PLN and former head of the World Economic Forum.

There are at least 4 new important parties in the process of registration, some headed by important political figures such as Congressmen and former Congressmen and government ministers.

Quick facts:

conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: República de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica

Data code: CS

Government type: democratic republic

Capital: San José

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, San José

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 7 November 1949

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO de la Espriella (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant) (since February 2005 when Luis FISHMAN resigned); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Abel PACHECO de la Espriella (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant) (since February 2005 when Luis FISHMAN resigned); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
election results: First round: (40%+ required to be elected) Abel PACHECO (PUSC), 39%. Rolando ARAYA (PLN), 31%. Ottón SOLÍS (PAC), 26%. Otto GUEVARA (PML), 2%. Runoff election: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%, Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms. Uses proportional representation.)
elections: last held 2 February 2002 (next to be held February 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUSC 30%, PLN 27%, PAC 22%, PML 9%, others 12%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 8 (originally elected 14), Unión Patriótica 3 (UP, former members of PAC), PML 5 (originally elected 6), others 5 (including 3 former members of PAC and one former member of ML). Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly President of the Supreme Court: Luis Paulino Mora

Political parties and leaders: Registered: Agriculture Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Ottón SOLIS Fallas]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Carlos AVENDANO Calvo]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [[[Otto GUEVARA]]]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ]. Currently under registration: Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Union for Chance or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Democratic Nationalist Action [José Miguel VILLALOBOS]. Note: Used to be mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN, until 2002. Several parties gained seats, and right now there are several new parties being created.

See also: List of political parties in Costa Rica.

Political pressure groups and leaders: Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICC, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band

• http://www.kostaryka.org/2001/famous62.htm (Famous people of Costa Rica)
• http://www.kostaryka.org/2001/curiosities62.htm (National symbols of Costa Rica)

See also : Costa Rica