Laura Chinchilla comfortably became the first female president of Costa Rica yesterday, when she achieved 47% of the votes. Chinchilla was the former vice-president to the outgoing head, Oscar Arias. She has pledged to continue his free-market polices, but her dominant campaign message was a commitment to tackle violent crime, a growing problem in Costa Rica.

On being elected Chinchilla’s first words were: “Thank you for giving your confidence Costa Rica, I will not betray it because it has not been given as a gift. Now I will justify it by acting with complete honesty and with a sole view on the welfare of my country.”

Chinchilla ran for the National Liberation Party (PLN) which has dominated Costa Rican politics for the past six decades. She has rejected claims from her rivals that she is a “puppet” of Arias, her political mentor, and that he will continue to control government policies. Chinchilla said: “I have to justify the confidence placed in me by having an independent government focused on the wellbeing of my country”.

Her rival in the election, Otton Solis of the Citizen Action Party (PAC), achieved 25% of the vote. The third candidate in the presidential race, Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement (ML), celebrated last night as his party achieved 21% of the vote, an increase from 8% in the previous election. Chinchilla has called on the PAC and ML to join with her to achieve the safety and security of all Costa Ricans.

Public reaction to the PLN victory was one of celebration with thousands of activists taking to the streets. Chinchilla will formally takeover the presidency on 8 May. Costa Rica is one of the oldest and most stable democracies in Central America. It abolished its army in 1949 and in recent years has become known for tourism and progressive environmental policies.

Not only does Costa Rica have a new president, but they have also been named the happiest country in the world. The Happy Planet Index complied by the New Economics Foundation placed Costa Rica top out of 143 countries. The Index makes an explicit link between happiness and the environment. It combines three variables –  what people say about their life satisfaction, their longevity and their ecological footprint.