Costa Rica’s new president, Carlos Alvarado, a novelist and former cabinet minister, won in a landslide victory over the weekend with marriage equality as the main issue.
His opponent, a conservative religious singer and pastor, campaign on a platform opposing marriage equality and abortion received about 39 percent of the vote.
Earlier this year the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled its member nations should allow same-sex marriage. The court, which is based in Costa Rica, uphold human rights for the Organization of American States.
The presidential election became a referendum of the issue. In the first round of voting, the conservative candidate came in first place, but supporters of the other candidates rallied around Alvarado in the runoff, according to Time.
Recent polls showed a majority of Costa Ricans oppose same-sex marriage and pollsters expected a tight election.
— David Taffet
