1990 Costa Rican general election

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 4 February 1990.[1] Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 81.8%.[2]

1990 Costa Rican general election

← 19864 February 1990 (1990-02-04)1994 →
Presidential election
 
CandidateRafael Ángel CalderónCarlos Manuel Castillo [es]
PartyPUSCPLN
Popular vote694,589636,701
Percentage51.49%47.20%

Results by canton

President before election

Oscar Arias
PLN

Elected President

Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
PUSC

Parliamentary election

All 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly
29 seats needed for a majority
PartyLeader%Seats+/–
PUSCRafael Ángel Calderón46.2129+4
PLNCarlos Manuel Castillo [es]41.8825−4
PUVíctor Daniel Camacho [es]3.3110
PUGENCarlos Alberto Fernández2.421+1
PUACJuan Guillermo Brenes [es]1.0610
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Results by province

Unlike previous elections, Calderon's nomination was not undisputed. Despite expressing that he would not run again for President after the results of the previous race, he was eventually convinced by his followers. Yet, young former minister and business man Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría from the liberal faction inside PUSC choose to face Calderón at the primaries.[3][4] Former deputy José Hine from PUSC's left wing also run with testimonial results.

Despite the fact that Rodríguez clearly had no chance against Calderón, his candidacy was considered a smart move, as he would start to be in the spotlight and helping his way in future nominations.[5] As expected, Calderón won the primary election with 75% of the votes. On the other sidewalk former vice president Carlos Manuel Castillo won over young minister Rolando Araya Monge (nephew of ex-president Luis Alberto Monge) in PLN's primaries after a very hostile and traumatic campaign, in which Castillo even accused Araya of links with Narcotraffic, something that weakened PLN.[6] Minor parties proliferated in this election, with up to 12 different parties taking part, of which only left-wing coalition United People having some relevance with sociologist Victor Daniel Camacho as nominee earning 3% of the votes.

Results

President

CandidatePartyVotes%
Rafael Ángel Calderón FournierSocial Christian Unity Party694,58951.49
Carlos Manuel Castillo Morales [es]National Liberation Party636,70147.20
Víctor Daniel Camacho Monge [es]United People9,2170.68
Fernando Ramírez MuñozChristian National Alliance Party [es]4,2090.31
Isaac Felipe AzofeifaParty of Progress2,5470.19
Edwin Badilla AgüeroMilitant Workers Revolutionary Party1,0050.07
Rodrigo Alberto CorderoIndependent Party [es]7460.06
Total1,349,014100.00
Valid votes1,349,01497.45
Invalid votes29,9192.16
Blank votes5,3930.39
Total votes1,384,326100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,692,05081.81
Source: Election Resources

By province

ProvinceCalderón %Castillo %Camacho %Ramírez %Azofeifa%Badilla %Cordero %
 San José49.3949.250.750.280.220.060.05
 Alajuela51.4147.590.430.320.150.060.05
 Cartago50.3748.570.530.200.190.080.06
 Heredia50.7647.790.730.360.250.050.05
 Guanacaste52.7246.390.440.240.090.070.05
 Puntarenas56.2142.240.820.400.150.110.07
 Limón60.8237.071.060.580.160.210.11
Total51.5147.200.660.310.190.070.06

Parliament

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Christian Unity Party617,47846.2129+4
National Liberation Party559,63241.8825–4
United People44,1613.3110
General Union Party [es]32,3072.421+1
Christian National Alliance Party [es]22,1491.6600
Cartago Agrarian Union Party14,1901.0610
National Independent Party10,6350.800New
Party of Progress7,7330.580New
Alajuelense Solidarity Party7,3300.5500
Independent Party [es]5,5640.4200
Authentic Limonense Party4,9010.3700
Agrarian Labour Action Party4,7560.360New
National Agrarian Party [es]4,5940.340New
Militant Workers Revolutionary Party7420.060New
Total1,336,172100.00570
Valid votes1,336,17296.55
Invalid votes32,7232.36
Blank votes15,0611.09
Total votes1,383,956100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,692,05081.79
Source: Election Resources

By province

ProvincePUSCPLNPUPUGENANCPNIPdPOthers
%S%S%S%S%S%S%S%S
 San José44.411043.0894.5013.7711.8600.9100.7000.840
 Alajuela46.90543.4751.4300.5501.4100.4600.3905.390
 Cartago43.22340.7122.7101.5800.9500.8500.5409.441
 Heredia46.87342.9124.3801.8401.7500.8001.1600.290
 Guanacaste50.52346.1221.0000.5700.9700.6100.1000.110
 Puntarenas49.87338.3032.9604.6002.3001.2400.3300.390
 Limón50.14229.4424.1100.6202.1800.5100.53012.470
Total46.212941.88253.3112.4211.6600.8000.5803.141

Local governments

PartyVotes%Seats
Alderpeople+/–Municipal
syndics
+/–
Social Christian Unity Party623,02146.70274+42265+151
National Liberation Party569,97442.72232–28161–145
United People44,7653.366+300
General Union Party [es]28,2432.124+200
Christian National Alliance Party [es]17,4111.302+200
National Independent Party12,8360.960000
Party of Progress7,8150.590New0New
Agrarian Labour Action Party5,4440.413New0New
Alajuelense Solidarity Party5,2980.400–100
National Agrarian Party [es]5,0170.382New0New
Independent Party [es]4,4920.341+100
Authentic Limonense Party3,7440.281000
National Union Party2,2210.170New0New
New Alajuelita Party2,0120.151000
Humanist Party1,9290.140New0New
Total1,334,222100.00526+22426+6
Valid votes1,334,22296.42
Invalid/blank votes49,5203.58
Total votes1,383,742100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,691,68981.80
Source: TSE[7]

References