Caribbean & Central America - October 2009 (ISSN 1741-4458)

Ottón Solí­s, the presidential candidate for the main opposition Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), was thrown a lifeline this month ahead of elections on 7 February 2010. It came in the form of the conviction of former president Rafael Angel Calderón Fournier (1990-94) to five years in prison for embezzlement by a San José court. Calderón pulled out of the running for the presidency. But, it was not this decision so much as the possible repercussions of his conviction that could benefit Solí­s. He will be hoping that support migrates away from the clear frontrunner, Laura Chinchilla, who represents a traditional party, to the PAC, which was established on a strong anti-corruption platform.

Solí­s is currently languishing in the opinion polls, with just 13% in the most recent La Nación survey last month. Calderón polled just 6% but his party, the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (Pusc) is one of two traditional parties in Costa Rican politics along with the ruling Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN), for which Chinchilla is standing.

Chinchilla has carved out what appears to be a virtually unassailable lead, polling a huge 55% support. A big part of the reason for this is that the administration of President Oscar Arias has not been embroiled in corruption scandals. But, like the Pusc, the PLN has been tainted by corruption in the past, for instance, former president José Marí­a Figueres (1994-1998).

The Calderón conviction has at least given Solí­s the chance to return to his strengths and rail against corruption again, something which almost brought him to power in the last elections. The problem is his party is divided. It waged a long, and ultimately fruitless, battle against the approval of the US-Central America trade treaty (Cafta-DR), however, and emerged weakened after internal ructions.

Calderón was the first ex president to be imprisoned for corruption in Costa Rica. He was accused of taking an illegal commission during a purchase of medical equipment from the Finnish company, Instrumentarium Medko Medical by the Costa Rican social security system (CCSS). Six others, including the former head of the CCSS, were also found guilty of taking kickbacks.

• Arms
  “Arms and wars generate more environmental devastation and more pollution than any productive activity; the mere existence of military spending constitutes, in and of itself, the negation of resources to combat global warming," President Oscar Arias during a speech before the UN General Assembly last month. “I will never tire of repeating it," he went on, “in Latin America […] armies have not served any purpose other than to carry out a coup d'état." He added: “the greatest arsenal of genius in the world is, at this moment, working on perfecting the weaponry and defence systems of nations […] Its place is in the laboratories where medicines are being created that are accessible for all humankind."