Costa Rican general election, 1958

Costa Rican general election, 1958

February 2, 1958

Turnout 64%   Nominee Mario Echandi Jiménez Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich Jorge Rossi Chavarría Party National Union National Liberation Independent Home state San José Alajuela Cartago Popular vote 102,851 94,788 23,910 Percentage 46.4% 42.8% 10.8%

President before election José Figueres National Liberation Elected President Mario Echandi National Union

General elections were held in Costa Rica on February 2, 1958.^[1] Mario Echandi Jiménez of the National Union Party won the presidential election, whilst the National Liberation Party won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 64.7%.^[2]

Echandi had become leader of the Opposition as he was elected congressman in 1953. During the tense invasion of 1955 when former president Rafael Angel Calderon's supporters and their international allies tried to invade Costa Rica’s territory and were successfully repelled by José Figueres’ government, Echandi was accused of been Calderonista and been offered an office as minister from Calderón.^[3] Echandi denied it but was put under investigation by the Legislative Assembly.^[3] The opposition, encompassed by both Echandi’s party National Union and Calderón’s Independent Republican left the Assembly in protest.^[3] Still Echandi was acquitted and the old loyalties before the war were starting to switch. Echandi as candidate from National Union promised to allow Calderón and family (then exiled in Mexico) to return to Costa Rica and give a general amnesty for all of Calderón’s supporters. This gained him the support of the Calderonism, still a powerful political base. ^[3]

But, whilst PLN’s opposition was closing lines, PLN was splitting. After a primary election that was won by Francisco José Orlich (one of PLN’s founders and one of the leaders of the 1948 Revolution) his opponent Jorge Rossi left the party and founded a new one called Independent Party.^[3] As expected, Rossi’s departure and his new party caused an spoiler effect dividing the Social Democratic vote and Echandi won the election with the support of Calderonists.^[3]

Echandi did fulfill his promise and allow Calderón and family to return and passed a general amnesty for all factions. ^[3]

Results

President

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Mario Echandi Jiménez	National Union Party	102,851	46.4
Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich	National Liberation Party	94,788	42.8
Jorge Rossi Chavarría	Independent Party	23,910	10.8
Invalid/blank votes		7,994	-
Total		229,543	100
Source: Nohlen

Parliament

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
National Liberation Party	86,081	41.7	20	-10
National Republican Party	46,171	22.4	11	New
National Union Party	44,125	21.4	10	+9
Independent Party	20,314	9.8	3	New
Revolutionary Civic Union	6,855	3.3	1	New
Democratic Opposition Movement	1,417	0.7	0	New
Democratic Party	939	0.5	0	-11
Democratic Action Party	614	0.3	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	22,991	-	-	-
Total	229,507	100	45	0
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 1958" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2016.