ABSTRACT
Costa Rica ranks as Latin America’s oldest uninterrupted democracy (Knight, 2001; Seligson, 2001b; Peeler, 1985). Among developing countries, the longevity of its democratic rule is only matched by India. Ruled by a presidential government, the country has enjoyed periodical democratic elections with widespread popular participation for over 50 years – since the Civil War of 1948. General elections were held in 1953, 1958, and every four years thereafter. In each election Costa Ricans choose their president, two vice-presidents, 57 members of congress, and municipal authorities. Surveys indicate 77 per cent of Costa Ricans prefer democracy over any other kind of government, 70 per cent claim to participate in transparent electoral processes, and almost 87 per cent think that it is important to vote in national elections (Latinobarómetro, 1996-2003; Rodríguez et al., April 2002). Indeed, Forrest Colburn has grounds to describe Costa Rica as ‘arguably the region’s most successful democracy’ (Colburn, September/ October 2002: 11).
