Right-wing candidate takes strong lead in Costa Rica election 

The right-wing law-and-order candidate, Laura Fernandez, has taken a commanding lead in Costa Rica’s presidential election, according to early results.

With ballots from 31 percent of polling stations counted, Fernandez, of the governing Sovereign People Party (PPSO), had 53.01 percent of the vote, the results showed on Sunday.

Alvaro Ramos of the centre-left National Liberation Party ‍was in second ⁠with 30.05 percent, while former First Lady Claudia Dobles was in third with 3.9 percent.

Fernandez ‌needs at ‌least 40 percent to win the election outright and avoid ‌a run-off on April 5.

More soon…