Costa Rican presidential candidate Carlos Alvarado celebrates his victory with his supporters in San Jose, Costa Rica, on April 1, 2018. Carlos Alvarado, the candidate from the ruling Citizen Action Party (PAC), won Costa Rica's presidential runoff with 60.74 percent of the vote, according to the latest results released by the country's electoral tribunal on Sunday evening. (Xinhua/Kent Gilbert)
SAN JOSE, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Carlos Alvarado, the candidate from the ruling Citizen Action Party (PAC), won Costa Rica's presidential runoff with 60.74 percent of the vote, according to the latest results released by the country's electoral tribunal on Sunday evening.
With 95.58 percent ballots counted, Carlos Alvarado gained 60.74 percent of the vote, and his rival, Fabricio Alvarado, an evangelical candidate from the National Restoration Party (PRN), obtained 39.26 percent of the vote, according to the results.
The two Alvaradoes are not related.
In a speech to supporters, Fabricio Alvarado conceded defeat but said that this is not a defeat for his movement, since he went from practically having no options in the race to leading in the first round of the presidential election in February, and to contesting the presidency of the country.
He also promised to make his movement available to help correct the most pressing problems in Costa Rica.
The election exposed divisions in the Central American country, particularly concerning same-sex marriage, which had been heatedly debated during the campaign in this traditionally conservative nation.
Fabricio Alvarado has campaigned on the pledge to rescue "principles and values" by opposing gay marriage.
Carlos Alvarado, a former minister, came out in favor of gay marriage and has slammed Fabricio Alvarado for campaigning on a single issue and having no plan for government.
