GOVERNMENT OF COSTA RICA

Costa Rica is a democratic republic with a very strong system of constitutional checks and balances. Executive responsibilities are vested in a president, who is the country’s center of power. There also are two vice presidents and a 20-plus member cabinet. The president and57 Legislative Assembly deputies are elected for 4-year terms. In April2003, the Costa Rican Constitutional Court annulled a 1969constitutional reform which had barred presidents from running for reelection. As a result, the law reverted back to the 1949Constitution, which permits ex-presidents to run for reelection after they have been out of office for two presidential terms, or eight years. Deputies may run for reelection after sitting out one term, or four years. On January 1, 2009, the U.S.-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in CostaCRica.

The electoral process is supervised by an independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal–a commission of three principal magistrates and six alternates selected by the Supreme Court of Justice. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Justice, composed of 22 magistrates selected for renewable 8-year terms by the Legislative Assembly, and subsidiary courts. A Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (SalaIV), established in 1989, reviews the constitutionality of legislation and executive decrees and all habeas corpus warrants. The last national elections took place in February 2010.

The offices of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Solicitor General, and the Ombudsman exercise oversight of the government. The Comptroller General’s office has a statutory responsibility to scrutinize all butthe smallest public sector contracts and strictly enforces procedural requirements. Along with the Sala IV, these institutions are playing an increasingly prominent role in governing Costa Rica.

There are provincial boundaries for administrative purposes, but no elected provincial officials. Costa Rica held its first mayoral elections in December 2002, whereby mayors were elected to 4-year terms by popular vote through general elections. Prior to 2002, the office of mayor did not exist, and the president of each municipal council was responsible for the administration of his/her municipality. The most recent nationwide mayoral elections took place in December 2006. Autonomous state agencies enjoy considerable operational independence; they include the telecommunications and electrical power monopoly and the state insurance monopoly (sectors opened to competition by CAFTA-DR),the state petroleum refinery, the nationalized commercial banks, and the social security agency. Costa Rica has no military and maintains only domestic police and security forces. A professional Coast Guard was established in 2000.

Principal Government Officials President–OscarARIAS Sanchez (President-elect Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda and VicePresidents-elect Alfio PIVA and Luis LIEBERMAN will take office in May2010)Foreign Minister–Bruno STAGNO Ugarte Ambassador to the United States–Luis Diego ESCALANTE Vargas Ambassador to the Organization of American States–Jose Enrique CASTILLO Barrantes Ambassador to the United Nations–Jorge URBINA Ortega

Costa Rica maintains an embassy in the United States at 2114 S Street NW,Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-234-2945 and 202-234-2946).

POLITICAL CONDITIONS

Costa Rica has long emphasized the development of democracy and respect for human rights. The country’s political system has steadily developed,maintaining democratic institutions and an orderly, constitutional scheme for government succession. Several factors have contributed to this trend, including enlightened leadership, comparative prosperity,flexible class lines, educational opportunities that have created a stable middle class, and high social indicators. Also, because Costa Rica has no armed forces, it has avoided military involvement in political affairs, unlike other countries in the region.

In February 2010, President-elect Laura Chinchilla of the National Liberation Party (PLN) won the popular election with 46.72 % of the vote, defeating principal rivals Ottón Solis of the Civil Action Party(PAC) and Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement (ML). Throughout her campaign, Chinchilla’s primary message was strengthening security; her platform also included improvement of the country’s infrastructure,creation of a progressive income tax and expanding jobs through a“green jobs” initiative, better living conditions for children and senior citizens, and supporting women’s issues. Following the 2010elections, the 57-member unicameral Legislative Assembly fragmented into several parties, with no faction having a plurality–the PLN won23 seats, the PAC 12 seats, ML has 9 seats, the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) has 6 seats, and the remaining seats are split among lesser known parties.

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