The discussion about life and family issues based on religious motivations played a decisive role in the electoral campaign that ended this Sunday.
This was recognized by analysts Claudio Alpízar and Sergio Araya, who agreed that the debate was polarized after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the Costa Rican State to recognize the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual, Bisexual and Intersex (LGTBI) community on January 9th.
That pronouncement, in response to a query made by the Government of Costa Rica, brought together conservative groups of Catholic and Evangelical creed around the presidential candidate of National Restoration, Fabricio Alvarado, according to Araya, coordinator of political projects for the Konrad Adenuaer Foundation in Costa Rica.
The presidential candidate soared in the polls after taking advantage of his opposition to issues such as abortion and same sex marriage.
In contrast, according to Araya, those pushing the human rights agenda were aligned around figures such as Carlos Alvarado, presidential candidate of the Citizen Action Party (PAC), and Edgardo Araya, from Frente Amplio, who have favored the matters.
Suddenly, some sectors see that a religious leader in the Government can materialize their pretensions of not allowing gay marriage and abortion, as well as eliminating the gender ideology.
Claudio Alpízar, analyst and political communication consultant, said the religious issue and the human rights agenda were very present in the campaign, more than appropriate. However, he also affirmed that Alvarado’s growth was due to the fact that some sectors see him with hope because of the discredit of the traditional political class.
It has been decisive in some very humble sectors. There are many people who take hold of God because politicians have not kept their words […] and when a presidential candidate takes hold of that, they get to the people,”
said Alpízar.