In scenarios where no candidate managed to win a direct election, the results of the first round confirmed the trends of voters to the left in both countries.
In a second round on March 9th in El Salvador and on April 6th in Costa Rica the next presidents of both nations will be chosen, after two elections ended with no candidate receiving the required majority to be declared president.
50 specialists discussed in Costa Rica the future of planning and development in Latin America in the seminar "Visions of the Country: Social Dialogue and Democratic Strengthening "
A press release from the Foundation for Peace and Democracy reads:
The regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean from IDEA International, Daniel Zovatto, inaugurated an International Workshop entitled ‘Visions of the Country: Social Dialogue and Democratic Strengthening’ on December 8 at the Real Intercontinental hotel in Costa Rica.
The trade Minister of Costa Rica said that the "better governance process" in SIECA, initiated by Yolanda Mayora, had "raised antibodies" at the regional institution.
There is no doubt that the economic future of Central America and the possibilities of development of its people are linked to regional integration, starting with all which refers to the free exchange of goods and services and the ability to be presented to the world as a single block.
Mario Vargas Llosa writes on the serious political situation in Honduras, with his renowned objectivity and analytic capacity.
The Peruvian writer brings us a critical vision of the positions of the two battling sides, drafting a solution similar to the one proposed by Costa Rican president Oscar Arias.
"Awakening a constitutionally elected president with bayonets, and sending him to exile without giving him even a chance of changing his pajamas, as was done by the Honduran military to Manuel Zelaya, is an act of political barbarism..."
The transition process of the Salvadoran government is proving that alternation of power contributes to sound political practices.
Observable facts in the current transition process between the government of the outgoing ARENA party and the incoming FMLN party, are positive signs up until now and differ sharply from other transitions.
The editorial from Sunday, May 24 2009 in Laprensagrafica.com analyzed and welcomed this year's pragmatic politics, giving reasons for this: "There had never before been a transition from one government to another like the one that is taking place this time. There had never been an occasion with so much political and citizen expectation with regard to the make-up of the incoming head’s cabinet. Transparency in public accounts, also driven by the pressure of the fiscal crisis, rather than being a cause for friction, has served to encourage understanding between parties."