The Libertarian Trend in Costa Rica

Central American countries have
been badly misruled by oligarchs for most of their
post-independence histories. The result is that Nicaragua,
Guatemala, and Honduras are the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th
poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. The one exception
in the region has been Costa Rica where democracy and the rule of
law have generally prevailed. The country famously abolished its
military back in the 1940s.

Unfortunately, in recent years, corrupt politicians have
undermined the trust of Ticos* in their government. This has
provided an opportunity for a rising libertarian political movement
and, less fortunately, an opportunity for politicians advocating
socialism.

The
Tico Times is reporting that a group of prominent
economists have broken from the country’s conservative party to
endorse the Libertarian Movement’s presidential candidate Otto
Guevara in the current election:

A former president of Costa Rica’s Central Bank and previous
PUSC supporter, Jorge Guardia, attacked one of the rising
opposition candidates.

“The country faces an urgent political dilemma,” Guardia said at
a Tuesday press conference. “There exists the risk that José María
Villalta, of the socialist Broad Front Party, could win the
February presidential elections.”

Guardia praised the Libertarian Movement presidential nominee as
having the only economic plan to solve Costa Rica’s woes, such as
its
8.9 percent unemployment rate.

The Tico Times further reported:

Guevara thanked his new-found supporters and used the
opportunity to slam his top opponents.

“The choice is between three,” Guevara said. “Socialism on one
side, a continuation of impoverishment, or a change to strengthen
the economy.”

In 2010, Guevara received
21 percent of the vote and his party gained 10 of the 57 seats
in the Chamber of Deputies. Here’s hoping that Ticos make the right
choice on February 2.

*Costa Ricans are called Ticos because they tend to
pronounce dimunitives like momentito as momentico. I had the
pleasure of working as reporter for the Tico Times back in the
1990s.

H/T Kevin Fleming.