Costa Rican general election, 1953

Costa Rican general election, 1953

July 26, 1953

Turnout 67%   Nominee José Figueres Fernando Castro Cervantes Party National Liberation Democratic Home state Alajuela San José Popular vote 294,016 67,324 Percentage 64.7% 35.3%

President before election Otilio Ulate National Union Elected President José Figueres National Liberation

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 26 July 1953.^[1] José Figueres Ferrer of the National Liberation Party won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 67.2% in the presidential election and 67.5% in the parliamentary election.^[2]

This was Costa Rica’s first election since the end of the 1948 Civil War and the democratic guarantees were not fully restored.

José Figueres, the caudillo of the victorious National Liberation Army faction in the Civil War was candidate by the newly founded National Liberation Party (PLN).^[3] Liberal Mario Echandi tried to be candidate from then in-government National Union Party (PUN) but his candidacy was denied by the Electoral Tribunal arguing irregularities in the adherents’ signatures.^[3] This move was highly criticized by Figueres’ opponents as an action in favor of Figueres’ candidacy.^[3]

As PUN was unable to participate, the only other candidacy alternate to Figueres’ was made by the Democratic Party that nominated wealthy industrial Fernando Castro Cervantes.^[3] The three parties; PLN, PUN and Democratic were all formerly united in opposition against Rafael Angel Calderón and allies governments in the 1940s that caused the civil war. Yet, after the war, their loyalties broke away.^[3]

The losing sides in the civil war, mostly the Republicans (Calderón supporters) and the Communists were unable to participate as their parties were disbanded (in the case of the Communist Party was constitutionally outlawed).^[3] But the Republicans were allowed to participate in the legislative ballot with a provincial party in San José call “Independent” Republican Party and earned some seats. As expected Figueres won by a landslide victory.^[3]

Results

President

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
José Figueres Ferrer	National Liberation Party	123,444	64.7
Fernando Castro Cervantes	Democratic Party	67,324	35.3
Invalid/blank votes		6,721	-
Total		197,489	100
Source: Nohlen

Parliament

Party	Votes	%	Seats
National Liberation Party	114,043	64.7	30
Democratic Party	67,324	21.2	11
Independent National Republican Party	12,696	7.2	3
National Union Party	12,069	6.9	1
Invalid/blank votes	22,140	-	-
Total	198,270	100	45
Source: Nohlen

References

1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p155 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
2. Nohlen, p156
3. Hernández Naranjo, Gerardo. "Reseña de las elecciones presidenciales de 1953" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2016.