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Meta
Autor: Writer
~ 15/12/06
The TSE declared winners after the manual count for San José and Alajuela, the winners will be notified officially through the respective city secretary.
The TSE still must scrutinize the votes for the provinces of Cartago, Heredia, Puntarenas, Guanacaste and Limón.
Track results live at the TSE web site:
http://www.tse.go.cr/municipal2006/english.htm
The winners for San José and Alajuela were:
| CANTÓN CENTRAL | SANTA ANA |
Autor: Writer
~ 05/12/06
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
As the results from the municipal elections continued to trickle in yesterday, it became increasingly clear that Sunday was a very good day for the National Liberation Party (PLN) and a bad day for voter turnout.
The green-and-white party, which started the year by winning the presidency, as well as more legislative seats than any other party, in February’s national elections, continued its sweep by winning
58 of the 81 mayoral seats, according to preliminary counts at polling stations. At press time, 4,686 stations had reported their rates, with 166 to go.
The official manual count begins today and will take approximately two weeks, Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) spokesman Cedric Solano told The Tico Times.
Approximately 24% of eligible Ticos turned out to vote, which represents a 1% increase from the 2002 municipal elections.
Those who turned out cast their votes for a significant change in the political makeup of the country’s mayors, reflecting national trends. The Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), which dominated the municipal scene from 2002-2006 with 48 mayoral seats, retained only 11, while Liberation shot up from 27 to 58.
The Citizen Action Party (PAC) won four seats, the Libertarian Movement won one, and the National Union Party (PUN) won two. The Union for Change party, which was unsuccessful in its presidential and legislative bids in February, won the Montes de Oca race, with former Labor Minister Fernando Trejos taking over the eastern San José suburb. Rounding out the results were four local parties.
Leading the Liberation charge was San José Mayor Johnny Araya, who, despite corruption allegations, won a second term by a landslide; at press time, the vote count showed him with 69.03%.
Solano said the results of the manual count are likely to be very similar to the preliminary results.
Voters also elected other municipal and district officials, filling more than 4,000 positions; the new officials take office Feb. 5.
*Preliminary results with 4,686 polling stations counted and 166 still to be counted. Listed in order released.
Autor: Writer
Here are the preliminary results from the TSE
SAN JOSÉ
• Central
Name: Johnny Francisco Araya
Party: PLN
• Escazú
Name: Jorge Guillermo Fonseca Picado
Party: PAC
• Desamparados
Name: Maureen Fallas Fallas
Party: PLN
• Puriscal
Name: Jorge Luis Chaves Gutiérrez.
Party: PLN
• Tarrazú
Name: Iván Suárez SandÃ
Party: PLN
• AserrÃ
Name: Mario Morales Guzmán.
Party: PLN
• Mora
Name: Gilberto Monge Pizarro.
Party: PLN
• Goicoechea
Name: Óscar Enrique Figueroa Fieujeam
Party: PLN
• Santa Ana
Name: Gerardo Oviedo Espinoza
Party: PLN
• Alajuelita
Name: Tomás Poblador Soto
Party: PLN
• Vásquez de Coronado
Name: Leonardo Herrera Sánchez
Party: PLN
• Acosta
Name: Ricardo Durán Gamboa
Party: PLN
• Tibás
Name: Leonardo Fallas Mora
Party: PLN
• Moravia
Name: Alejandro Hidalgo Carballo
Party: PLN
• Montes de Oca
Name: Fernando Trejos Ballestero
Party: Unión para el Cambio
• Turrubares
Name: Xinia Madrigal Bustamante
Party: PLN
• Dota
Name: José Valverde Monge
Party: PLN
• Curridabat
Name: Édgar Mora Altamirano
Party: Curridabat Siglo XXI
• Pérez Zeledón
Name: Rosiblel Ramos Madrigal
Party: PUSC
• León Cortés
Name: Leonardo Quesada Durán
Party: PLN
TOTAL:
PLN: 16
PUSC: 1
PAC: 1
Curridabat Siglo XXI: 1
Unión para el Cambio: 1
HEREDIA
• Central
Name: José Manuel Ulate Avendaño
Party: PLN
• Barba
Name: Mercedes Hernández Méndez
Party: PLN
• Santo Domingo
Name: Raúl Isidro Bolaños Arce
Party: PLN
• Santa Bárbara
Name: Rolando Hidalgo Villegas
Party: PLN
• San Rafael
Name: Alberto Vargas Esquivel
Party: PAC
• San Isidro
Name: Elvia Villalobos Arguello
Party: PLN
• Belén
Name: Horacio Alvarado Bogantes
Party: PUSC
• Flores
Name: Jenny Alfaro Chaves
Party: PAC
• San Pablo
Name: Aracelly Salas Eduarte
Party: PUSC
• SarapiquÃ
Name: Pedro Rojas Guzmán
Party: PLN
Total :
PLN: 6
PUSC: 2
PAC: 2
CARTAGO
• Central
Name: Alberto RodrÃguez Brenes
Party: PLN
• ParaÃso
Name: Marvin Solano Zúñiga
Party: Movimiento Libertario
• La Unión
Name: Julio Rojas Astorga
Party: PLN
• Jiménez
Name: Jorge Solano Herrera
Party: PLN
• Turrialba
Name: Luis Alfonso Pérez
Party: PLN
• Alvarado
Name: Ãngel López Gómez
Party: PLN
• Oreamuno
Name: Gerardo Granados Torres
Party: Unión Nacional
• El Guarco
Name: William Cerdas Garro
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 6
ML: 1
Unión Nacional: 1
LIMÓN
• Central
Name: Eduardo Barboza Orias
Party: PLN
• PococÃ
Name: Enrique Alfaro Vargas
Party: PLN
• Siquirres
Name: Édgar Cambronero Herrera
Party: Asociación Cantonal Siquirres Independiente
• Talamanca
Name: Óscar Bonilla Umaña
Party: PUSC
• Matina
Name: Lorenzo Colphan Reid
Party: PLN
• Guácimo
Name: Gerardo Fuentes González
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 4
PUSC: 1
Asociación Cantonal de Siquirres: 1
PUNTARENAS
• Central
Name: Agnes Gómez Franceschi
Party: PLN
• Esparza
Name: Dagoberto Venegas Porras
Party: PUSC
• Buenos Aires
Name: Primo Feliciano Ãlvarez Guevara
Party: PLN
• Montes de Oro
Name: Ãlvaro Jiménez Cruz
Party: PLN
• Osa
Name: Jorge Alberto Cole De León
Party: PLN
• Aguirre
Name: Óscar Octavio Monge Maykall
Party: Organización Laborista de Aguirre
• Golfito
Name: Jimmy José Cubillo Mora
Party: PLN
• Coto Brus
Name: Rafael Ãngel Navarro Umaña
Party: PUSC
• Parrita
Name: William Carvajal Campos
Party: Renovación Costarricense
• Corredores
Name: Gerardo RamÃrez Barquero
Party: PLN
• Garabito
Name: Marvin Elizondo Cordero
Party: PLN
Total
PLN: 7
PUSC: 2
Organización Laboral de Aguirre: 1
Renovación Costarricense: 1
GUANACASTE
• Liberia
Name: Carlos Luis MarÃn Muñoz
Party: PLN
• Nicoya
Name: Lorenzo Rosales Vargas
Party: PLN
• Santa Cruz
Name: Jorge Enrique ChavarrÃa Carrillo
Party: PLN
• Bagaces
Name: Luis Ãngel Rojas Madrigal
Party: PLN
• Carrillo
Name: Carlos Gerardo Cantillo Ãlvarez
Party: PLN
• Cañas
Name: Kattia Solórzano Hernández
Party: PLN
• Abangares
Name: Jorge Calvo Calvo
Party: PLN
• Tilarán
Name: Jovel Arias Ortega
Party: PUSC
• Nandayure
Name: Luis Gerardo RodrÃguez Quesada.
Party: Unión Nacional
• La Cruz
Name: Carlos Gonzaga MartÃnez
Party: PLN
• Hojancha
Name: Juan Rafael MarÃn Quirós
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 9
PUSC: 1
Unión Nacional: 1
ALAJUELA
• Central
Name: Joyce Zürcher Blen
Party: PLN
• San Ramón
Name: Eladio Carranza Picado
Party: Solidaridad Ramonense
• Grecia
Name: Giovanni Arguedas Quesada
Party: PLN
• San Mateo
Name: Erwen Yanan MasÃs Castro
Party: PUSC
• Atenas
Name: Wilberth Aguilar Gatjens
Party: PUSC
• Naranjo
Name: Eugenio Padilla Bonilla
Party: PLN
• Palmares
Name: Luis Carlos Castillo Pacheco
Party: PLN
• Poás
Name: José JoaquÃn Brenes Vega
Party: PLN
• Orotina
Name: Elimio Jesús RodrÃguez Molina
Party: PLN
• San Carlos
Name: Alfredo Córdoba Soro
Party: PLN
• Alfaro Ruiz
Name: Marco Vinicio RodrÃguez Muñoz
Party: PLN
• Valverde Vega
Name: VÃctor Manuel Rojas
Party: PUSC
• Upala
Name: Juan Bosco Acevedo Hurtado
Party: PLN
• Los Chiles
Name: Santiago Millon Robleto
Party: PLN
• Guatuso
Name: Fidel Condega Montiel
Party: PLN
Total:
PLN: 11
PUSC: 3
Solidaridad Ramonense: 1
FUENTE: TSE
Autor: Writer
~ 04/12/06
The votes will really count in the municipal elections, as yesterday only 23.7% of the eligible voters show up despite generally good weather throughout the country.
The soccer playoffs, Christmas shopping, apathy from parties and the lack of funding for mayoral campaigns were all signaled as culprits for the low turnout. Oscar Fonseca, Chief Magistrate of the TSE called on the legislature to change the date of the municipal elections, as well as to provide funding for the campaigns.
The manual vote count will begin Tuesday, partial, preliminary results by city can be seen on the TSE web page:
Autor: Writer
~ 01/12/06
La Nacion 1 December 2006
Of 375 candidates, only 45 are womean, PAC has the most: 11; then the PLN with 9; the Libertarians with 6. In just 4 of the 81 cities are 2 women running.
TSE magistrate Eugenia Zamora, commented that unfortunately women will not get fair representation among the country’s mayors, however “They are the ones who know better the problems in communities. â€.
“Many women would like to be popular representatives, but men run the party structures.â€, she said.
Candidates for Mayor by Party and City
Candidatas a alcalde por partido
PAC (Acción Ciudadana)
Alajuelita Yamileth Torres D.
Dota Rosa Inés Elizondo Fallas
Curridabat Marta Cecilia Robles MartÃnez
Alfaro Ruiz Denia del Pilar Rojas Jiménez
Santa Bárbara Ana Cecilia SolÃs Ugalde
Flores Jenny Alfaro Chávez
Santa Cruz MarÃa Rosa Angulo A.
Tilarán Sandra Araya Badilla
Puntarenas Laura MarÃa Garro S.
Golfito Myriam Jiménez Moya
Garabito Andrea Alvarado V.
PLN (Liberación Nacional)
Desamparados Mauren Fallas F.
Montes de Oca Sabrina Hidalgo Rojas
Turrubares Xinia MarÃa Madrigal Bustamante
Alajuela Joyce Mary Zurcher Blen
Oreamuno Xinia MarÃa Ulloa S.
Barva Mercedes Hernández M.
San Isidro Elvia Dicciana Villalobos Arguello
Cañas Katia MarÃa Solórzano H.
Puntarenas Agnes Gómez F.
Libertarian Movement
Goicoechea Rosibel Salazar M.
Poás Ana Marisma RodrÃguez A.
La Unión Sandra Leticia Soto Soto
Heredia Karla RodrÃguez González
San Rafael Marlen Mora Bogantes
Matina Sonia Villagra Vidaurre
National Union
Tibás Mayra González León
Naranjo MarÃa Elena Gonzalo V.
Matina Silvia ChavarrÃa Camacho
PUSC (Unidad SocialCristiana)
Pérez Zeledón Rosibel Ramos Madrigal
Heredia Aracelly Salas Eduarte, San Pablo
Cañas Rosa Emilia Acevedo
Green Party
Jiménez Ana Isabel MarÃn Chávez
Turrialba Mauren Sánchez S.
Alvarado MarÃa Teresita Leandro Leandro
PCM (El Puente y los Caminos de Mora)
Mora Mireya ChavarrÃa Quesada
Union for Change
Jiménez Lissette Fernández Q.
ATC (Auténtico Turrialbeño Cartaginés)
El Guarco Luz Marina Solano A.
Renovation (Renovación Costarricense)
San José Ligia Paniagua Obando.
Sun Party (Partido del Sol)
Santa Ana Marcia González A.
PIN ( Partido Integración Nacional )
Vázquez de Coronado Marianela Odilie Portugués Sánchez
Autor: Writer
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
Corruption allegations. Local scandals. Unfinished business. This year’s municipal elections have it all – except, perhaps, voters.
Whether citizens’ concerns about their local governments will bring them to the polls Sunday in greater numbers than in the first mayoral elections four years ago remains to be seen. Some observers maintain the campaigns leading up to this year’s elections – only the second time in history Costa Ricans have been able to choose their mayors – have been marked by increased citizen participation. Certainly some voters can’t wait to make their voices heard, including a group of blind citizens whose lobby for Braille ballots will pay off on Election Day when they cast their votes unassisted for the first time.
 |
|
Asking for Votes: Pediatrician Arturo Robles (left) campaigns in Barrio Luján as the Citizen Action Party (PAC) mayoral candidate for San José. Accompanying him is Ottón SolÃs, head of the party and a former presidential candidate. |
|
Mónica Quesada | Tico Times
|
However, there’s also evidence to suggest fewer people will vote Sunday than in the 2002 municipal elections, when 77% of the country’s eligible voters stayed home. Even election cheerleaders such as Raul Barboza, of the Institute for Municipal Development (IFAM), seem to pin some of their hopes on factors such as… well, the weather.
“The climatic aspect four years ago didn’t help at all,†Barbazo told The Tico Times this week. “It rained a lot (on Election Day). I hope this year will be different.â€
Those interviewed on the streets of the capital yesterday said not even a cloudless sky could entice them to show up. In the latest version of The Tico Times’ highly unscientific San José street poll – which correctly predicted lower numbers than expected for President Oscar Arias in February’s elections – only one person said she plans to vote, and she works for the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE).
“I hope people will come and vote, but I doubt it,†said the woman, a resident of Cartago, east of San José, who declined to give her name because of her place of work. “It doesn’t look good.â€
Clouds of Complaints
 |
Voters in at least 18 of the country’s 81 cantons face an odd ballot-box scenario: the incumbent candidate faces allegations of wrongdoing.
The highest-profile corruption case involving a candidate is certainly that of San José incumbent Johnny Araya, accused of accepting illegal payments from a landfill management firm (see separate story). However, accusations of mayoral misconduct extend far beyond the Central Valley.
According to Juan Rafael Salas, assistant secretary of the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE), the tribunal’s three magistrates are processing complaints against 22 sitting mayors – 18 of whom are running for re-election. Examples of grounds for such complaints include court sentences against the candidate, or the extended absence of a mayor from his or her post, Salas said.
And that’s just the tribunal. In the days leading up to the elections, other cases have surfaced in the form of lawsuits before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) and decisions by the Comptroller General’s Office.
In Cartago and ParaÃso, east of San José, mayors Carlos Góngora and Marvin Solano of the Libertarian Movement face charges for disobeying previous legal rulings that they deal with community needs. In the Southern Zone, the Comptroller’s Office ruled that former Golfito mayor and current candidate Mauricio Alvarado of the National Union Party (PUN) can’t hold public office for four years because he allegedly made illegal contract payments. The office also asked the TSE to strip the credentials of José Rodolfo Naranjo, mayor of the coffee town of Tarrazú, because he allegedly attended unrelated meetings during his work hours, according to the daily La Nación. In the northwestern province of Guanacaste, incumbent candidate Pastor Gómez, who earlier this year was suspended for six months by a San José criminal court for allegedly violating the law to open land zoned as a park for construction of a strip mall, resigned last week. He is running for re-election.
Even in cantons without allegations against candidates, stories of municipalities falling short in their duties – such as in the northern San José suburb of Tibás, where the lack of garbage collection made national headlines in recent years – are legion.
Will these problems inspire people to vote?
“I think it’s going to increase the abstention rate,†political analyst Luis Guillermo SolÃs told The Tico Times. “If anything, corruption will decrease the lack of enthusiasm.â€
Low Profile, Bad Timing
However, SolÃs said other factors such as lack of awareness about the role of local government, or lack of funding for campaigns, will be even more instrumental in driving down voter turnout. Unlike national elections, when political parties receive state funding for campaigns, the framework for municipal elections includes no such support, resulting in low-budget efforts unless candidates have deep pockets or drum up private donations.
Norma Delgadillo, 62, taking the sun with her mother, Bertha Gómez, 86, in the National Park, agreed that lack of publicity and education, not corruption allegations, is the problem. Both women are San José residents, and neither plans to vote Sunday.
“The opponent always throws up a smoke screen†as elections approach, Delgadillo said when asked about the allegations against San José Mayor and candidate Araya. “Araya’s done good work… But people aren’t made conscious from a young age.â€
Victor Mora, 49, a taxi driver from Montes de Oca, east of San José, said he hadn’t heard much about corruption cases involving mayors, but general misuse of funds is a major problem.
“No municipality gets more funds through taxes than Montes de Oca,†he told The Tico Times, referring to the canton’s universities and shopping malls. “But the money goes up in smoke.â€
The timing of the elections, just 10 months after the presidential and legislative elections and during the holiday season, also leaves something to be desired, according to Barboza.
“They take place in December, a month when people are thinking about a ton of things other than elections – shopping, Christmas,†Barboza said. “That affected the process (last time).â€
SolÃs called the timing of the elections “the worse world possible,†though he maintains that separating municipal elections from national elections, a change the Legislative Assembly approved in 1998 and put into effect for the first time in 2002, was a positive step. (Before 2002, the country had, instead of mayors, “municipal executives†chosen by the municipal council.)
“It’s a very good idea, but not nine months after the presidential campaign,†he said. “It’s too close to the presidential elections, everybody’s tired… but it’s far enough to make people feel disengaged.â€
Barboza said IFAM is drafting bills to move the date of the election so it would take place two years after each presidential election.
Â
A Small Victory
One group that will vote Sunday in total privacy for the first time is the country’s blind and visually impaired citizens.
The Elections Tribunal will ensure all polling stations have Braille ballots – that is, sheets that can be placed over the official ballot, with holes so voters can mark their preferred candidate.
In previous elections, blind voters had two choice: announcing their voting preference aloud to polling workers who’d mark the ballot for them, or taking a family member or friend with them into the voting booth to help them.
Either way, blind voters were faced with a lack of privacy and also a lack of certainty that the person helping them would follow their wishes, Osliam Castillo, a blind musician and member of the Foundation for the Progress of Blind People, told The Tico Times before February’s elections. Then, a small group of blind voters used special sheets the foundation created in an attempt to convince the tribunal to implement them nationwide (TT, Feb. 6).
This week, Castillo said that although he’s worried about the ballot’s format – instead of listing the names or initials of the parties in Braille, like the foundation’s sample ballots, it includes only a number corresponding to each party – he’s pleased that the TSE has made the effort.
The Santo Domingo de Heredia resident, 29, said he’ll vote on Sunday, of course – but doesn’t expect to have much company.
“The municipal elections are always very apathetic,†he said.
Autor: Writer
Costa Ricans all over the country will be electing 4,951 leaders, including mayors and other local officials, during the municipal elections Sunday, and observers from around Central America, South America and the Caribbean began arriving yesterday to watch over the process, according to a statement from the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE).
Representatives from Paraguay and Guatemala have arrived, and others were expected to fly in yesterday from Panama, Antigua, Barbados, Honduras, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the Organization of American States (OAS).
Today, observers from El Salvador and Puerto Rico are scheduled to arrive, making for a total of 19 observers, the statement said.
The delegates will meet with Vice-President Laura Chinchilla today and with representatives from political parties Saturday in San José.
On Election Day Sunday, the observers will all make their way to different polling places and will conclude the day’s work with a session to analyze Costa Rica’s electoral process.
National observers from universities and public and private institutes will also keep an eye on the elections.
-Tico Times
Autor: Writer
~ 07/11/06
By Tim Rogers and Katherine Stanley
Nica Times and Tico Times Staff
MANAGUA – At press time last night, a victory by Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega appeared all but assured, with four rounds of preliminary returns and a watchdog group’s “fast count†showing Ortega with a significant lead over his opponents in Nicaragua’s presidential race.
The Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) announced at approximately 7:15 p.m. that with 61.8% of votes counted, National Liberation Front (FSLN) candidate Ortega had a sturdy lead with 38.59%. This puts him well ahead of Eduardo Montealegre of the National Liberal Alliance (ALN), with 30.94%, and José Rizo of the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC), with 22.93%.
The CSE is expected to announce the outcome of the remaining votes this afternoon.
According to CSE president Roberto Rivas, data suggest that a second round is virtually impossible. (To win in the first round, a candidate must receive either at least 40% of votes, or 35% or more with at least a 5% margin over his closest opponent.)
The expected win would snap Ortega’s losing streak after three electoral defeats and return his former revolutionary party to power 16 years after being voted out of office.
Last night’s CSE numbers mirrored a “fast count†by the Nicaraguan election observation group Ethics and Transparency, which announced yesterday morning that their tally showed Ortega with 38.49% and Montealegre with 29.52%.
Huge crowds of Sandinistas last night began arriving in Managua for a celebration, although none of Ortega’s opponents had conceded. In separate press conferences throughout the day, Montealegre and Rizo maintained the preliminary results did not reflect reality and that they would wait for a significant proportion of the votes to be counted – for Rizo, at least 60%, and for Montealegre, 100% – before conceding.
Ortega, making his first comments to reporters since the election as he left a meeting with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, said that “until the council makes its pronouncement, we have to maintain calm,†and urged his fellow candidates to resolve to work together to “eradicate poverty…and give security to the private sector, to investors.â€
Autor: Writer
~ 06/11/06
The Esquivel Volio family was the largest supporter in the last campaign, giving ¢90,030,500 to the PLN, according to a study of the TSE done by Al DÃa.
Costa Rican Campaign Financing
The law does not allow donations of over ¢19,485,000 (less than $40,000) and foreigners may not contribute to campaigns. But Costa Rican companies with foreign shareholders or directors may contribute. “We don’t know the interests behind this fiction we call a corporation. The public should vote knowing what economic interests are behind each party. It isn’t important who donates, as long as they are not masked. ” Luis Antonio Sobrado, TSE Magistrate
The TSE donation list is updated and shown on their website: http://www.tse.go.cr/indice_donaciones.html
Al DÃa published the following list:
Liberación Nacional
|
Donantes |
Monto |
|
Familia Esquivel Volio |
¢90.030.500..00 |
|
Grupo Roble |
¢24.497.000.00 |
|
Terramix S.A |
¢19.023.400.00 |
|
Isabel Brenes |
¢17.328.150.00 |
|
M. Libertario (ML) |
|
Donantes |
Monto |
|
Feinzaig, Scharf & VDP |
¢17.410.850.00 |
|
Prime Properties |
¢9.916.000.00 |
|
André Garnier Kruse |
¢9.921.800.00 |
|
Javier Quirós Ramos |
¢7.242.150.00 |
|
PUSC |
|
Donantes |
Monto |
|
Rodolfo Jiménez B. |
¢9.789.000.00 |
|
Pablo Bomcompagni |
¢7.000.000.00 |
|
Carlos Fernández A. |
¢3.053.000.00 |
|
Daniel Cordero P. |
¢3.000.000.00 |
|
Acción Ciudadana |
|
Donante |
Monto |
|
Sergio Salas Alfaro |
¢12.215.000.00 |
|
Margarita Penón G. |
¢4.020.000.00 |
|
Rodrigo Carazo Z. |
¢3.735.995.00 |
|
Carlos Najera C. |
¢3.000.000.00 |
Autor: Writer
~ 19/10/06
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
With many glumly predicting dismal voter turnout during the Dec. 3 municipal elections, analysts and electoral officials gathered yesterday at the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) in San José to discuss ways to improve not only the voting process, but also municipal governments as a whole.
The speakers, including a national legislator, several analysts and others familiar with municipal government, emphasized the importance of increasing local control in Costa Rica, the most centralized country in Latin America, according to Fabio Molina, president of the Institute for Municipal Development (IFAM). Molina said that although the press focuses on low voter interest in the upcoming election, the level of interest is actually quite remarkable, given that municipalities account for only 1.7% of total public spending.
In the first-ever popular elections of mayors in 2002, the abstention level was 77.4% — but taking into account null and blank ballots, only 21% of the 2.3 million registered Costa Rican voters cast valid votes. Carlos Sojo, of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), told The Tico Times in 2002 that the disappointing turnout “was like a class officer election at a university†and that parties would have to work hard to inspire voters if the next municipal elections were to show better results (TT, Dec. 6, 2002).
TSE magistrate Eugenia Zamora said at the forum that municipal governments are in a state of “permanent crisis,†with problems including difficulties in collecting municipal taxes and the lack of state contribution to political parties for municipal campaigns (unlike presidential and legislative campaigns). Many reforms have been proposed, but an excess of varied proposals has caused backup in the Legislative Assembly, Zamora said.
The forum was part of the “Dialogue About Well-Being†series sponsored by FLACSO, the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.