COSTA RICA: With Vow to Legalize Gay Marriage, Carlos Alvarado Quesada Wins Presidential Election

Carlos Alvarado Quesada by Luis Madrigal Mena (CC BY S.A. 4.0)

Carlos Alvarado Quesada has won CostaRica’s presidential election, defeating evangelical conservative Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz in an election that hinged on Quesada’s promise to legalize gay marriage.

The Guardian reports: “A former minister and fiction writer, Alvarado Quesada, 38, had 61% of the vote with results in from 95% of polling stations, a far bigger lead than predicted by opinion polls that foresaw a tight race.”

The NYT adds: “The complexion of the contest changed dramatically in January when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that its signatory nations, including Costa Rica, must legalize same-sex marriage. The court was established by the Organization of American States. The judges’ decision came in response to a petition brought by Mr. Solís, the Costa Rican president. The court, which is based in the Costa Rican capital, San José, also ruled that Costa Rica was obliged to extend property rights to same-sex couples.”

Read more from Source: COSTA RICA: With Vow to Legalize Gay Marriage, Carlos Alvarado Quesada Wins Presidential Election