PLN gives Johnny Araya the boot for dropping out of presidential race

(ICR Archive)

December 10^th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) An internal party “ethics tribunal” of the National Liberation Party (PLN) has banned Johnny Araya from the party for a period of four years as punishment for his March decision to effectively drop out of the run-off presidential race against Luis Guillermo Solis, party leaders announced on Tuesday.

Araya made the decision to effectively drop out of the April 5^th run-off election on March 5th after numerous polls, including those conducted by CID-Gallup, all indicated that Araya was trailing significantly behind Solis amongst likely voters.

Johnny Araya “not only filled the National Liberation Party with shame, but also caused the greatest electoral defeat in the history of our party,” Alvaro Emilio Castro Garnier, president of the PLN’s ethics committee, said in an October 9^th complaint filed with the party’s general secretary which led to yesterday’s decision.

While under Costa Rican law, a candidate cannot officially drop out of a presidential run-off election, Araya ceased all campaign activity after his March 5^th announcement, effectively handing the election to Solis.  The final result was a landslide victory for Solis and the Citizen Action Party (PAC) who won the election with 78% of the vote, the worst defeat ever for a PLN candidate.

Under the party’s decision to “banish” Araya for four years, Araya is prevented from having any political affiliation with the party or to run for any national or local appointment as a party member, which will likely affect his decision whether or not to once again run for mayor of San Jose.