Feminist Looking Glass

Laura Chinchilla has been elected as Costa Rica’s first woman president.  She had a very impressive margin of victory, getting 46.8 percent of the vote, with her main challengers getting 25.1 percent and 20.9 percent.  In her victory speech, she said “I want to thank the pioneering women who years ago opened the doors of politics in Costa Rica.”  And one of her female supporters said: ““I couldn’t be happier.  It’s the first time in the history of Costa Rica that we will have a woman president. It will give new opportunities to women all over the country.”  However, unfortunately, Ms. Chinchilla is a “social conservative” who opposes abortion and same-sex marriage.

Ms. Chinchilla is a former vice-president and minister of justice and her campaign was centered on combating crime.  She is the third woman president in Central America’s history.  Violeta Chamorro led Nicaragua in the 1990s and, later, Mireya Moscoso led Panama.

Filed under: International, Politics Tagged: | Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla