Costa Rica is Central America’s oldest democracy. The three branches of government are the Executive branch, which consists of the president, two vice presidents and cabinet; the Legislative branch, which is a popularly elected assembly of 57 deputies; and the Judicial branch, which consists of civil, criminal, appellate and constitutional courts. The current president is Mr. Abel Pacheco.

Voter turnout is very high in Costa Rica, routinely topping 80% in presidential elections, giving the country one of the highest rates in the world. The political strife that has plagued the rest of Latin America during the last 50 years has not been a factor in Costa Rica, and political unrest won’t mar your vacation.

This peace is due, in part, to the fact that the government has taken strong measures to reduce poverty. These programs have met measurable success. The government-owned water, electricity, and telecommunications industries have managed to provide basic services to nearly everyone throughout the country, easily giving Costa Rica the most advanced infrastructure in Central America.