At exactly 4:02 p.m., Costa Rica time, Solarte entered the Vote Receiving Board installed in the Costa Rican consulate in Canberra after a seven-hour trip from Melbourne to exercise her right to vote and after doing so, she expressed feeling very proud to be able to celebrate this democratic act with the rest of their compatriots residing in Australia.
“We are here because we want to see change, because we want to participate and not only be reactive, but walk forward for our country,” he said.
The second voter in that Vote Receiving Board was Aarón Bolaños, who lives in Victoria, so he had to make a journey of about eight hours to fulfill the citizen’s duty to vote.
“I think we should defend our democracy. They are not all the countries of the world that enjoy a democracy as strong as ours. It is a party, it is a celebration and that was what moved me to come to Canberra to vote, to be part of this important exercise and to be one more that seeks to strengthen our traditions and our homeland”, Bolaños stressed.
Solarte and Bolaños are two of the 147 Costa Ricans registered in that distant nation, 14,000 kilometers from here, as well as two of the 50,833 registered to vote in 80 Vote Receiving Boards installed in 52 consulates in 42 countries.
Data from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) reflect that of that number of Ticos with the right to vote abroad, the United States registers the largest number, 35,517, of which 14,230 registered in New York.
Just over 3.5 million Costa Rican voters are summoned tomorrow to choose the president, two vice presidents and the 57 deputies to the Legislative Assembly, who will hold office in the 2022-2026 period.
A total of 25 candidates are vying for the first magistracy of Costa Rica, but the polls only give six the possibility that one of them wins the elections.
However, those same consultations reflect that none of those six candidates reaches 40 percent of the voting intention, so a second round is almost certain on April 3 between the two contenders who obtain the largest amount tomorrow. of valid votes. rgh/ale
