Costa Rica Poll: Second Round to Kick off as Diaspora Votes

The second round of Costa Rica's polls open at 6:00 a.m. to determine whether Fabricio Alvarado Munoz or Carlos Alvarado Quesada – no relation – will become the new president.

RELATED: 
Costa Rica: Uncertainty Grows Ahead of Second Round of Presidental Election

Over 120 Costa Ricans in Sydney, Australia already began casting their votes, Reuters reported. The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) announced that there are almost 32,000 registered voters living outside Costa Rica, spanning across 42 countries. The largest number of registered voters, in the diaspora, are located in the United States – more than 22,000.

The Central American country has a population of almost five million residents, just over three million of whom are charged with deciding the presidency.

TSE officials will monitor the voting process.

Polls are scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m.

The run-off puts conservative Munoz against former labor minister and center-leftist Quesada for the highest office in the of the Central American country. Pre-election surveys have recorded a dead heat, with Munoz slightly ahead with 43 percent projection and Quesada with 42 percent.

Munoz previously won 25 percent of the votes in the first round, while Quesada was close behind with 22 percent – both fell short of the mandatory 40 percent required to not trigger the second-round run-off.

The two candidates are separated by a whisker after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights court ordered the country to allow same-sex marriage, which posted contrasting views from both parties.

Christian candidate, Munoz, referred to the ruling as injurious to the traditional values and sovereignty of Costa Rica. Catholics, who make up more than 60 percent of Costa Rica's population, are the major supporters of Munoz.

“We’re united... in defending life and family, but also to defend ethics and transparency and the battle against corruption,” Munoz declared.

He then enjoyed a surge in support after promising to remove the Latin American country from the court’s jurisdiction. A win for Munoz threatens to reverse gay rights advancements in Latin America.

“Never before have we felt the country is at risk, never before have our hearts hurt like they hurt right now,” Epsy Campbell, Quesada’s vice-presidential running mate, said at a recent rally. “So many more people are (now) open to fighting for a more just and equal society than we ever would have thought,” she said.