COSTA RICA: Libertarian Shakes Up Presidential Contest.

GLOBALPOST/
Otto Guevara, 49, a Libertarian candidate has turned the nation's presidential election into a horse race by charging into second place.
Guevara wants to dollarize the currency and slash income taxes. Guevara is polling at 27% approval, up 8% since August while Laura Chinchilla is polling at 44%. A victory of 40% is needed in the Feb. 7 election or a run-off is held. Costa Rica provides socialized health care and public education and has been slow to sell its state-run telephone monopoly.

COSTA RICA: Conservative Outsider Gaining In Presidential Race.

REUTERS/
Polls show an outsider from the fringe Libertarian Movement gaining against favored candidate Laura Chinchilla. Newcomer Otto Guevara hopes to stop Chinchilla from becoming Costa Rica's first woman president. Polls reported Chinchilla with 40% of voters, down from 63% in September, while Guevarra's support zoomed to 30% from 13%.