As Americans are debating inkscrawls in Sarah Palin's palm and whether or not the 2008 Presidential election was sexist, Costa Ricans have gone to the polls to elect a woman to lead them.
Laura Chinchilla, a social conservative who opposes both gay marriage and abortion, has won election as the first woman president of Costa Rica. Her election also brings the first Jewish vice-president of that country, Chinchilla's running-mate Luis Lieberman.
Chinchilla, 50, a Georgetown graduate, garnered 47% of the vote to become president-elect. She previously served as one of two vice-presidents in the Arias administration from 2006-2008, when she resigned to run for president. She has also served as a vice-minister and minister for public security and in the Costa Rican National Assembly.
Her controversial participation in a November 2009 "March for Life and Family" and opposition to separation of church and state in Costa Rica, which defines itself as a Roman Catholic nation, has raised concern with human rights groups within the country.
Latin America is seeing an upswing in female political representation in recent years, with all eyes now on the Brazilian elections coming up this fall where another woman could win the presidency.
Chinchilla is unlikely to have won a similar election in the United States given her particular brand of social conservativism, or her gender. A successful female candidate for president in this country appears to be much further out on that lonely horizon.
Recent interview of Laura Chinchilla on CNN Espanol.
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Cleverley
J. P. Major
ohsillyme
Lauren B. Davis
Rochelle Skaar
plantlover
Salon.com
Comments
then the 'right' goes and wins an election. well, much better than shooting their way into power.
A conservative--sigh
Solis was the center-left candidate in Costa Rica and had the support of many of the social movements there: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50073
Best of lucks to Costa Rica!
Marcela
Bea
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