Citizens' Action Party (Costa Rica)

Citizens' Action Party
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President	Margarita Bolaños Arquín
Secretary-General	María Gabriela Saborío De la Espriella
Vicepresident	Kattia María Martín Cañas
Treasurer	Anthony Francisco Cascante Ramírez
Founded	2000
Ideology	Christian socialism Social democracy Progressivism
Political position	Centre-left
Colors	Gold and Red
Legislative Assembly	13 / 57
Mayors	7 / 81
Councillors	62 / 495
Website
http://www.pac.cr/
Politics of Costa Rica Political parties Elections

The Citizens' Action Party (Spanish: Partido Acción Ciudadana; commonly abbreviated as PAC) is a left-leaning political party in Costa Rica. In 2014, PAC presidential candidate Luis Guillermo Solís earned the most votes in the general election, causing his main rival to cease campaigning, making Solís the president.

Its platform is based on encouraging citizen participation and involvement in politics. One of its guiding ideals is to fight against corruption, arguing that it is one of the main causes of under development and voter apathy. The party took a leading role in the failed campaign against Costa Rica's membership of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

History and elections

Founding and 2002 election

PAC was founded in December 2000 by several dissidents from Costa Rica's two traditional parties, the National Liberation Party and the Social Christian Unity Party. Originally an anti-corruption party, it startled the Costa Rican political arena with a very strong showing in the 2002 general elections. In the presidential vote, party founder and candidate Ottón Solís was able to secure 26% of the votes – an unprecedented amount for a third party in Costa Rica – and force a runoff between the PLN and PUSC.

The party won 21.9% of the popular vote and 14 out of 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly, making it the third strongest political force in the legislature. A few months later, however, after a series of internal disputes, six of the party's 14 deputies resigned from the party, leaving PAC with only eight seats.

2006 election

In the February 5, 2006 parliamentary election, the party won 17 out of 57 seats. Ottón Solís ran for president again, losing to the PLN's Oscar Arias Sanchez by less than .2% of the votes. Arias only won by a few thousand votes over the 40 percent threshold required to avoid a runoff. The number of spoiled ballots was larger than the margin between Solís and Arias.

After the 2006 election, Ótton Solís took a year away from politics to teach in the United States. Former PLN Secretary General Luis Guillermo Solís' name began being circulated at meetings of the "ungroup," an informal gathering of PAC officials, led by former deputy Alberto Salom. Several PAC officials wanted Luis Guillermo Solís to run as a deputy in San José and as a vice presidential candidate in 2010.

Future President Luis Guillermo Solís joined the party in 2009. and attended meetings of the "ungroup" shortly thereafter in anticipation of the 2014 election.

2010 election

In the 2010 election, Ottón Solís ran for his third and final time as president. Laura Chinchilla of the PLN won, but Ottón Solís finished with 25.2% of the votes. PAC won the second fraction in the Legislative Assembly with 11 deputies elected. Six candidates won municipal elections in the rural communities of Aserrí, Matina, Hojancha, Cañas, Los Chiles y Guatuso.

2014 election

PAC supporters wave their traditional colors to celebrate Luis Guillermo Solís' victory on 6 April 2014

In 2013, PAC held its second national convention. It was an open convention in which any citizen could vote, despite party affiliation. Four candidates vied for the primary to represent PAC in the 2014 national elections: Epsy Campbell Barr, Juan Carlos Mendoza, Luis Guillermo Solís, and Ronald Solís Bolaños, with Luis Guillermo Solís winning 35% of the votes.

On 6 April 2014, Luis Guillermo Solís became the president elect of Costa Rica. PAC candidates won 13 seats in the Legislative Assembly.

Platform

While cleaning up corruption has been one of PAC's main goals since its creation, Solís has added to the party's platform. He wants to build infrastructure, bolster Costa Rica's universal health care and social security systems and push for environmentally friendly policies. Historically, PAC has opposed free trade agreements such as CAFTA, which Solís claims is improperly implemented. In addition, PAC claims that the country's tax system is inadequate, saying that more "progressive" system is needed.

International relations

Unlike other Costa Rican parties, PAC is not affiliated with an international organization. Nevertheless, it maintains informal relations with other progressive parties. Ottón Solís has independently met with Ricardo Lagos of the Socialist Party of Chile during a visit to Costa Rica, Cristina Fernández, and members of the Democratic Party of the United States.

PAC members

2010-2014 Mayors

2010-2014 Mayors
Name (Last, First)	Municipality
Lawson, Elvis	Matina
Morales Mora, Víctor	Aserrí
Pineda, Eduardo	Hojancha
Álvaro, Solano	Los Chiles
Torres, Abelino	Guatuso
Zúñiga, Lizanías	Cañas

Other notable members of PAC

Notable Members of PAC
Name (Last, First)	Notes
Barr, Epsy Campbell	Deputy 2002-2006 and 2014-2018, party president 2005-2009, politician, civil rights advocate
Blanco, Wilfrido	Vice-Minister of Education Abel Pacheco administration (2002-2006). Former PLN member.
Carazo Zeledón, Rodrigo Alberto	National Ombudsman 1993-1997, and deputy 2002-2006. Son of ex-president Rodrigo Carazo Odio
Chacón Echeverría, Ana Helena	Minister of Public Safety (Abel Pacheco administration (2002-2006), deputy (2006-2010), daughter of Luis Manuel Chacón (founding member of PUSC), Vice President (2014).
Echeverría, Alberto Salom	president of the Costa Rican Federation of University Students 1974-1975, vice president of National University of Costa Rica 1995-2000, deputy for PAC (2006-2010).
Escalante, Alberto Cañas	founding member of PAC, secretary of the Founding Junta of the Second Republic 1948, United Nations ambassador 1948-1949, president Editorial Costa Rica, deputy 1962-1966, Legislative Assembly President 1994-1998, Prime Minister 1970-1974.
Fallas, Helio	Minister of Planning Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier administration (1990-1994), Minister of Housing during Abel Pacheco administration (2002-2006), Vice-President, 2014. Former PUSC member
Fonseca Corrales, Dr. Elizabeth	historian, professor Universidad de Costa Rica. 2010 leader of PAC fraction in National Assembly.
Miranda, Dr. Guido	Executive President Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social. Former PLN member.
Mendoza García, Juan Carlos	deputy 2010-2014, Factional President 2010-1011, and Legislative Assembly President 2011-2012.
Morales Mora, Víctor	Minister of Labor Miguel Ángel Rodríguez administration (1998-2002), and deputy (Calderón Fournier administration) 1990-1994, Aserrí Mayor. Former PUSC member.
Penón Góngora, Margarita	first lady of Costa Rica 1986-1990 (ex-wife of Óscar Arias) and deputy (2002-2006). Replaced by Aguilar Mirambell in 2005 after resignation.
Salas Bonilla, Jorge Antonio	Mayor of Tibás Cantón 2007-2011.
Solano, Hernán	Vice-Minister of Youth Abel Pacheco administration (2002-2006). Former PUSC member.
Ottón Solís, Fallas	Minister of Planning Óscar Arias administration (1986-1988), deputy (Figueres administration) 1994-1998, founding member of PAC, three-time presidential candidate for PAC, deputy 2014-2018.
Solís Bolaños, Ronald	deputy with PAC 2006-2010, anti-CAFTA activist, businessman. Ran in PAC presidential primary in 2013.
Solís Rivera, Luis Guillermo	Politician, historian, professor of Latin American Studies. Ex PLN Secretary General. President Elect 2014-2018.
Valerín Rodríguez, Gloria	deputy with PUSC 2002-2006, and Director of Technical Services Legislative Assembly.
Villasuso, Juan Manuel	President of Costa Rican Institute of Electricity Luis Alberto Monge administration (1982-1983), Minister of Planning Luis Alberto Monge administration (1983-1986). Former PLN member.

External links

• Official website (Spanish)