Costa Rican general election, 1962

Costa Rican general election, 1962

February 4, 1962

Turnout 80%   Nominee Francisco Orlich Rafael Calderón Otilio Ulate Party National Liberation National Republican National Union Home state Alajuela San José San José Popular vote 192,850 135,533 51,740 Percentage 50% 35.3% 13.5%

President before election Mario Echandi National Union Elected President Francisco Orlich National Liberation

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General elections were held in Costa Rica on February 4, 1962.^[1] Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich of the National Liberation Party won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 80.9%.^[2]

Background

During Mario Echandi’s presidency Rafael Angel Calderón, his family and supporters in exile, were allowed to return and a general amnesty was called for everyone involved in the still recent Civil War of 1948.^[3] Calderón was elected Congressman in the 1958 election. But meanwhile in the past election the National Liberation Party was split due to the separation of the “Rossist” faction in this election Calderon’s candidacy unified PLN and other political allies into a strong anti-Calderonist ballot.^[3]

Both former presidents Otilio Ulate from National Union and Calderón himself from National Republican became candidates. PLN’s candidate was, as in 1958, Francisco Orlich, one of the party’s founder, commander of one of the fronts during the civil war and Figueres’ close friend.^[3]

A fourth small left-wing party named Popular Democratic Action led by socialist thinker Enrique Obregón also took part in the election nominating Obregon.^[3] Communism was illegal according to the Constitution and Marxist Parties were not allowed, but Obregon’s party was officially socialist so the prohibition was not endorsed. Even so, Obregón did had the support of the traditional leadership and militancy of the (outlawed) Communist Party.^[3]

Campaign

All parties promised land reform. Calderon’s publicity was particular in saying “Yesterday social reform, today land reform” taking advantage of the socialist reforms during his presidency.^[3] As the Cuban Revolution was recent the anti-Communist speech was common. All main parties accused each other of having links with Communism; PLN because of its socialist ideology (social democracy) and Figueres alleged friendship with Fidel Castro and Calderón because of his previous alliance with the Communists in the 1940s.^[3] The far-right anti-Communist group Free Costa Rica Movement paid for a strong anti-Communist propaganda, especially against Popular Democratic Action.^[3]

Results

President

Parliament

References

Elections and referendums in Costa Rica
Presidential elections	1844 1847 1853 1859 1860 1863 1866 1889 1893 1897 1901 1905 1909 1913 1917 1919 1923 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1953 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Parliamentary elections	1844 1847 1853 1859 1860 1863 1866 1889 1893 1897 1901 1905 1909 1913 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 (Feb) 1948 (Dec) 1949 1953 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Local elections	2002 2006 2010 2016
Referendums	1870 2007
See also: Elections in the Federal Republic of Central America