Well this man... An ex president of Costa Rica and Nobel Laureat, had the law changed in Costa Rica so he could run again. (Costa Rican Presidents were limited to one five year term. The elections are scheduled for Feb. 5th, but Mr. Arias has already declared victory based on polling numbers, and is acting as if he is the President elect.


The person who I feel is most qualified to lead Costa Rica is a Libertarian, Otto Guevara.

The man is young, dynamic, well educated (Harvard), and pro business, while still being focussed on helping the poor of Costa Rica.

He was recently called by Fred Blaser, owner of La Republica and the CA+ Blog, "the Most Presidential man to possibly never be President of Costa Rica." I have been told by a number of people in a position to know, that the results of this election, as most of the past ones, was decided in a smoke filled room over a year ago.

For a country proud of it's democracy, that would be sad and unfortunate. Oscar Arias is a hero in the region. His work in ending the Civil wars in Central America in the late 80's won him a Nobel Prize and wide ranging respect in the world and recognition for Costa Rica. I once sat accross from him in Business Class on a flight from Costa Rica to Miami, and his nephew is one of my oldest friends in Costa Rica. Nevertheless, I dont think Costa Rica needs another Arias administration.

I believe that Guevara represents the kind of new blood Costa Rica needs. He is young, talks straight, and supports education and business growth in Costa Rica. Unlike Arias, he believes in tax cuts, not more taxes on some of the most taxed people in the region. He supports CAFTA, which will bring jobs and opportunity to the people of Costa Rica, and he is willing to roll up his sleeves and get dirty with the people. Some of his most popular campaign commercials are videos of him helping to paint a school and picking up garbage in a suburb that has been plagued with a long sanitation workers strike.

Guevara's biggest challenge, other than possible election fraud is the fact that he speaks the truth, not what people want to hear. The La Republica owner told me that Oscars problem was, "he will not compromise. He knows what he believes in and unlike most politicians is not willing to compromise those beliefs for votes." Another friend called him arrogant. I asked why, and his response was, "I wont vote for him because he thinks he knows everything, and I am a Liberationista," (Arias' Party). Well guess what? Maybe he does know a thing or two. My worry is that under Arias it will just be more of the same, politics as usual, and the very people who could have benefited most from a Guevara victory, are the ones who are ensuring through apathy and ignorance, that it does not happen...

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