Out with the Chinchilla, in with the Solis

Christine Wade has a post on With Solis, Costa Ricans Signal Readiness for Change for the World Politics Review. Luis Guillermo Solis inherits a Costa Rica desperate for change following a mixed four-year term for Laura Chincilla and, more or less, long-term political and economic stagnation.

Here's a glimpse.

Solis, a former university professor, must now translate that mandate into concrete results, and soon. Above all, he must promote transparency and bolster public confidence in government. On his first day in office, Solis ordered the pruning of bushes in front of the Casa Presidencial. It was a symbolic gesture intended to signify the administration’s commitment to transparency. He also required his Cabinet members to sign a code of ethics prior to being sworn into office.

But these symbolic acts must be accompanied by efficacy in dealing with some of the country’s very serious challenges, including a crumbling infrastructure, high energy costs, a deteriorating public health system—referred to as the caja—high unemployment and a teacher’s strike. The most immediate problem, however, is the fiscal deficit. Solis must succeed where Chinchilla failed, which could be difficult given the composition of the legislature. Beyond keeping Costa Rica’s credit rating at a respectable level, Solis will need to attack the deficit in order to keep his campaign promises to address inequality and extreme poverty.