On May 8th, 2010, Laura Chinchilla was sworn into office as the first female president of Costa Rica, following the second term of fellow National Liberation Party (PLN) candidate Oscar Arias. Chinchilla had been slated as a potential presidential candidate since 2008, when she resigned as Costa Rica’s vice president to begin her campaign. From the outset of her campaign, many assumed that she would simply adopt a number of Arias’ reforms and policies....
On July 1st, Costa Rica’s legislature voted 31-8 to expand its bilateral cooperation agreement on security matters with the United States in order to intensify anti-narcotic efforts within the region. This agreement will allow 46 U.S. naval vessels carrying 7,000 Marines to visit Costa Rican waters until December 31st of this year. These ships will also be accompanied by 200 Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft. The arrangement has prompted some criticism, particularly from...
In its most positive light, Costa Rica has had a long and impressive history as a pacifist state. This history finds its roots in the colonial period, starting with Columbus’ fourth and final voyage in 1502. The Spaniards called the present-day area the “Rich Coast,” but Costa Rica possessed little gold or other valuable minerals, and lacked a large and centralized indigenous population to be exploited. As a result, the area grew largely isolated...
• Argentina squeezed in at the last minute • Why Guatemala? • Brazil phase is rough • Secretary of State Clinton and her Assistant Secretary, on this try, do not seem to perceive that it is a changed world in terms of inter-American relations and that traditional concepts of pan-Americanism may be crumbling. On March 1, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embarked on her five-day tour of Latin America. The trip came...
COHA revisits its interview of Ottón Solís. Arias – revered by some, but an object of disdain by more than a few. After four years under the leadership of Oscar Arias, Costa Ricans will vote for a new president this Sunday, February 7th. In October 2008, Laura Chinchilla resigned as Vice President and Minister of Justice and Peace to launch her presidential campaign under the banner of the ruling Partido Liberación National (PLN or...
