Laura Chinchilla, a social conservative who opposes abortion but wants more help for the poor, became Costa Rica's first female president after a convincing election triumph. Her main opponents conceded defeat and the 50-year-old ruling party candidate joined thousands of supporters celebrating in San Jose early Monday.
First results showed she won 47 percent of the votes counted, way ahead of her rivals and above the 40 percent needed to avoid a run-off. Latin America now has five women leaders. "Thank you, Costa Rica," Chinchilla said in an address in a hotel in the capital. "It's certainly a moment of happiness, but above all of humility ... I won't betray that confidence." Center-left opposition candidate Otton Solis won 24 percent of the votes counted and right-wing lawyer Otto Guevara garnered 21 percent.
The slight, long-haired graduate of Georgetown University in Washington served as vice president to Arias and is socially conservative on issues such as abortion. The mother of one teenage son has promised to increase grants for poor students, expand the pensions for the poor and open day-care centers to support working mothers.
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