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These presidential elections have had a special element as they are the first elections where the internet has played a very important part. Not only for the web pages of the various political parties and candidates (ML, PLN, UPC, PAC, PUSC), but also because these elections have allowed diverse and agreeable discussions of ideas, ideologies, and points of view about one or another candidate. What is most important is that many of these discussions have taken place in the growing community of Costa Rican blogs, in which websites like jdclarke (posts: 1, 2, 3, 4), even include videos of the debates. Or blogs like fusildechispas which commented on the last presidential debate, which lasted more than five hours and did much to lose our interest as the minutes ticked by.

In other blogs like La Suiza Centroamericana (posts: 1, 2, 3, 4), Dean Cornito often puts forth his discomfort with the political class of this country. Bandidocr, one of the courageous few that managed to watch the debate in its entirety gives a small analysis of each one of the candidate's performance. Se salvó el pais speaks about the quality of the public announcements or campaign propaganda just like others of us have commented before on their (lack of) efficacy as much of it has fallen to a ridiculous level and become a waste of time.

To conclude, a good portion of the Costa Rican blogs are playing a very important part in shaping the public's opinion and in stimulating healthy discussion about the presidential elections as they near. Never before have the candidates been so critically analyzed as they are now.

Translation by David Sasaki