With a gesture that tried to be a smile, calculated in words, libertarian candidate Jose Maria Figueres warned that it was time to stop the controversies. Far from the defeatist image before the election results against Rodrigo Chavez, the candidate of the Social Democratic Progress Party, he was proud and grateful.
The libertarian, the most supportive candidate in the first electoral round, backed by 571,518 votes in February (27.3%), this time scored 884,029 votes when he appeared before his followers at the Parque del Lago Hotel, with his defeat speech. As it was 8:35 p.m. and once 95% of polling stations had been counted, a change in the direction of the election was impossible. Despite the increase in support, regarding the first round, data from the Supreme Court of Elections (TSE) gave an advantage to its rival that, despite its small size – more than five percentage points – would not be reversed with the slopes of the few polls.
[ Resultados de las elecciones ]
While they were waiting for Figueres’ message and after hearing the results, the MPs of the National Liberation Party announced that the group should conduct a comprehensive review of this defeat. Soon, his candidate introduced himself with a gesture that seemed to reflect more satisfaction than resignation.
“I thank the Liberation family and the many people from other parties who have joined us,” Figueres said at the start of a long list of references. He thanked the volunteer, TSE, which he called “the best court in the world.” He also thanked his fellow running mates, Alvaro Ramirez and Laura Arguedes. He described them as “beautiful and committed people who are the Costa Rican dream”. He thanked those who “morning”, especially more than 50,000 volunteers for his cause.
A word and a warning
As for his opponent Rodrigo Chávez, with whom he has faced tough encounters in every debate, he only had one sentence (“I congratulate him and wish him well”), although his speech did not lack the desire for Costa Rica to stand up for women. , among the wish list thrown into the air.
A few hours earlier, he lamented what former President Abel Pacheco had said, who, in addition to giving his voice to Chávez, confirmed: “The Zapote girls take care of themselves”Referring to the female employees in the presidential house and the accusations leveled against the elected president today.
This time, with the score on top, Figueres put the controversy aside. He emphasized that it was time to unite ranks and leave the message of hostility, hatred and division to the Costa Rican family to move forward in search of rapprochement and points of convergence “things that unite us”, although he did not explicitly do so. Put the orders of the president-elect. Later, Chavez invited the editor to join him.
Figueres Olsen, president of the republic from 1994 to 1998, today 67 years old, did not say whether he would try again to reach the presidency. Although he was unharmed by the outcome, he emphasized that what hurt him most was that Costa Rica had lost “the most extraordinary first lady,” referring to his wife Cynthia Berocal, to whom he dedicated a pause and a hug.
Figueres made a call to unite for “the rights of girls, youth, women and men”.
The candidate left a warning for the last moments of his speech: “Costa Rica is in deep crisis, in a state of emergency.”
– Now more!, shouted one of his sympathizers.
He reiterated his concern and continued his message, trying to give a message of the common cause to the last word: “I urge you that this flag that has always given good to this country does not fall and continues to wave.” Added advanced vanquished.
“May God always bless this country,” he closed.
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