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Chinchilla tipped to become Costa Rica president

2010-02-05 13:50 BJT

 

Costa Rican Vice President Laura Chinchilla is expected to become the country's first female president in Sunday's election. Polls shows that she has a nearly 20-point lead over her two male rivals.

As a protege of current president Oscar Arias, Chinchilla has vowed to his policies of open trade and a carbon-neutral economy.

Candidate from the Citizens' Action Party, Otton Solis, is backed by conservationists who want to reverse some of Arias' policies.

While Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement Party wants to deepen the free market policies, push for lower taxes, dismantle remaining monopolies and adopt the US dollar as the country's currency.

However, most Costa Ricans seem reluctant to shake up the status quo in a country with relatively high salaries, long life-expectancy and a thriving eco-tourism industry.

Laura Chinchilla, presidential candidate for the National Liberation Party, speaks during a news conference with international journalists in San Jose February 3, 2010. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate
Laura Chinchilla, presidential candidate for the National Liberation
Party, speaks during a news conference with international journalists
in San Jose February 3, 2010. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

 

Editor: Zhang Pengfei | Source: CCTV.com