A poll has been taken by the University of Costa Rica’s CIEP has produced some results that has taken many election watchers by surprise.
In the first round of voting none of the over two dozen candidates were able to acquire the 40% of votes needed to avoid a second round run off. The top two candidates will face off on April 3.
They are former President Jose Figueres (PLN) and former Finance Minister Rodrigo Chaves (PPSD). Figueres lead all candidates after the first round with about 28% of the vote. Chaves only received around 16%.
Conventional wisdom led many to believe that Figueres, with his formidable lead, was the favorite to win the upcoming election.
According to the CIEP poll results, that belief now seems in doubt. It showed that Chaves was the preferred candidate of just over 46% of those polled. Figueres was the favorite candidate of 36%. The poll’s margin of error is about 3.6%.
With just over a month before the election the former president Figueres will have a substantial hurdle to overcome if he hopes to return to the Casa Presidencial.
While both candidates suffer from negative public opinion Figueres seems to be liked even less than Chaves amongst voters according to the polling.
When Figueres was last president in the 1990’s his administration was rocked by a series of scandals. After leaving the presidency he also left Costa Rica for Switzerland where he is also a citizen.
Chaves has had his own share of controversies while working as the Finance Minister and during his tenure at the World Bank.
Years ago, another candidate for president ran with a campaign slogan that declared “I am the least worst!”.
One or both of the current candidates may be considering to revive this mantra. (https://ticotimes.net/2022/03/02/costa-rica-2022-presidential-poll-has-surprise-results)
