SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Feb. 9, 2010, 2 a.m.  - Latin America's oldest and most stable democracy elected its first female president on Sunday, voting to continue the rule of the empowered party by delivering nearly 47 percent of ballots to the victor, well more than the 25 percent captured by her closest rival.

Fifteen months after the United States elected its first black leader, President-elect Laura Chinchilla projects as Latin America's fifth
woman to lead her country. Chinchilla, 50, of the National Liberation party, was vice president and justice minister before resigning to
pursue her presidential campaign. She will be sworn into office in early May.

While campaigning, Chinchilla vowed to continue the same economic policies of President Óscar Arias, drawing fierce criticism as a puppet of the Nobel Peace Laureate. Arias, now wrapping up his second presidential term, was awarded the Nobel Prize during his first
presidency in 1987 for helping end Central American nations' armed conflicts. He also was an active participant in negotiations after the
June 2009 coup deposed the president of Honduras.

Chinchilla and her ruling party captured decisive victories in each of Costa Rica's seven provinces, according to the Supreme Tribunal of
Elections of the Republic of Cost Rica. Her 47 percent nearly doubled the 25 percent allotted to Citizen Action Party candidate Ottón Solís
and more than doubled the 21 percent tallied by Libertarian Movement Party candidate Otto Guevara.

Both Solís and Guevara conceded defeat as election returns came in Sunday evening.

Costa Rica is a popular vacation destination that also attracts investors and developers. Critics of Chinchilla and Arias contend development is at the expense of the treasured ecosystem so attractive to tourists and other sources of money. Costa Rica recently opened a trade pact with the United States and is working on commerce issues with China, who is building a new national soccer stadium in San José.

Chinchilla follows Violetta Chamaro of Nicargua (1990-1997), Mireya Moscoso of Panama (1999-2004), Michelle Bachelet of Chile (2006), and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina (2007). Bachelet and Fernández presently are in power, Bachelet until next month.