First elected woman president for Costa Rica

Costa Rica has its first ever elected woman president after a weekend election.

Pro-business Laura Chinchilla, the former vice president, is calling for unity among the country’s political parties.

She said: “My administration will be open to all Costa Ricans. That means we must listen carefully to the voices of those who didn’t vote for us in this election and we humbly ask for their help and support.”

Chinchilla won twice as many votes as her closest two rivals in a country decribed as one of Latin America’s most stable.

She joins a small club of female leaders in a typically male-dominated part of the world – Chile’s Michelle Bachelet and Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez.

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Tags: Costa Rica, presidential elections