Costa Rica: elecciones y democracia en la crisis

Resumen

Costa Rica posee um régimen político que siempre se há caracterizado por La negociación y lãs concesiones, como forma de resolución de los conflictos sociales, bajo El arbitraje estatal. País detentor de un nível de vida relativamente alto y de estabilidad política – tomando em consideración El contexto controamericano – hasta 1978 (PIB elevado, inflación enexistente, salários en ascensión), ha enfrentado uma grave crisis em La década de 80, que sólo consigue escamotear gracias a La ayuda americana a La paciencia de La población. El día 2 de febrero de 1986, escogió a Oscar Arias, Del Partido liberación Nacional, de tendencia socialdemócrata como su nuevo presidente, com el 52% de aprobación popular, trás uma campaña caracterizada por el derroche de dinero y La ausência de um auténtico debate político. Neoliberales y social democrates regatearon La realidad costarricense a lo largo de vários meses, refugiándose em ruidos y colores. El fantasma del sandinismo y La ruína institucional de los países vecinos sirvieron como falsas premisas de reciocinio. Lãs pespectivas de La democracia en Costa Rica son sombrias. Se deterioran prograsivamente lãs condiciones de vida de la poblacón, presionadas por la pesadez del Estado, la crisis fiscal y el elevado endeudamiento externo. Las derechas se vuelven cada vez más poderosas, controlan los médios de comunicación, refuerzan el aparato repressor y organizan grupos paramilitares. Mientras tanto, el costarricense medio continúa optimista, comparsa de uma representación cuya trama desconoce, manejado por uma minoría que consigue evitar com éxito uma alternativa popular. Costa Rica has a political regime that has always been characterized by negotiation and compromise as a way of resolving social conflicts with the state as abiter. Enjoying as relatively high standard of living and political stability – bearing in mind the Central American context – up tu 1978 (high GDP, non-existent inflation, rising wages), Costa Rica has been facing as serious crisis in the eighties that it only manages to keep under wraps thnaks to the American aid and the patience of the population. On February 2, 1986, the country chose as its new president Oscar Arias, of the social- democratic leaning National Freedon Party (Partido Liberación Nacional), with 52% of the popular vote after a election campaign characterized by extravagant spending and the lack of a genuine political debate. Neo-liberals and social democrats haggled with one another over the real situation of Costa Rica over a period of several months, taking refrige in noises and clours. The sepectre of Sandinism and the institutional collapse of the neigbouring countries served as false premises for reasoning. The prospects for democracy in Costa Rica are sombre. The living conditions of the population have steadily worsened, under the pressure of the heavy state apparatus, the financial crisis and the substantial foreign debt. The forces of the right are becoming increasingly poqerful, controling the media, reiforcing the apparatus of repression na organizing paramilitary groups. Meanwhile the average Costa Rica remains ab optimist, a silent actor in a perfomance whose plot is Unknown to him and manipulated by a minority that manages succesfully to avoid a popular alternative.