Latin America Advisor

Bruce Wilson, professor of political science at the University of Central Florida: “The political fallout of the current corruption scandal is difficult to predict. A major corruption scandal in the 2000s rocked the political elite and facilitated the collapse of the country’s long-established two-party system. Yet, the Cementazo scandal (2014-18) that unfolded during a PAC administration did not prevent the same party from winning the 2018 presidential election. In the current case, though, it is a high-ranking presidential aide, a senior manager of the Contraloría General, and two of the country’s richest men who are implicated, not the president himself. The impact on the ongoing party primaries and upcoming general election might prove muted: presidents and all 57 members of the Legislative Assembly are constitutionally prohibited from seeking immediate re-election, thus no individual who currently holds elected political office can appear on next year’s general election ballot. Corruption is consistently one of the top five concerns for Costa Rican voters, and the sitting president’s party (PAC) was created as an anti-corruption party. Yet, after two consecutive PAC administrations, there is still…”