Costa Rica

Country elects first female president

Laura Chinchilla was elected the country's first female president, as she obtained about 47% of the votes in the presidential elections held on 7 February, more than the required 40%. Chinchilla vowed to continue the previous government's pro-business policies, expanding free-trade pacts and promoting investment. Meanwhile, after the country registered its first contraction in over two decades in 2009, the economy is slowly emerging from recession. As a result of the improving backdrop, Consensus Forecast panellists are increasingly optimistic about this year's prospects.