San Jose, Costa Rica — Costa Rican voters appear likely to elect the country’s first female president, a protege of Nobel laureate Oscar Arias who holds a nearly 20-point lead over two male rivals ahead of Sunday’s balloting.
Laura Chinchilla’s election would mark another political triumph in the storied career of outgoing President Arias, who has been regularly called on to put out Central America’s political fires.
Chinchilla was Arias’ vice president before launching her campaign. If victorious, she has pledged to continue Aria’s moderate free-market policies in what is considered the most politically stable country in the region.
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