Election May Set Back TLC
The U.S. free trade pact with Central America known as CAFTA and locally as the Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) , already delayed by a legal wrangle, has run into further trouble at presidential elections in Costa Rica where voters punished the main pro-trade candidate.

Costa Rica's Tibunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) has begun a manual count of votes cast on Sunday, ending in a race with a difference of 3.250 votes between the top two candidates when the count was stopped Monday afternoon.

The polls had shown an easy Arias win, however, now that all hangs by a thread and won't be known for at least 10 or more days, as the TSE decided to scrutinize each and every single ballot following inconsistencies.

Oscar Arias, who was president between 1986 and 1990 and awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1987, strongly backs the TLC. Ottón Solís, wants to renegotiate the deal.

The TSE said it will announce the winner within two weeks. The final count is expected to be close and the election board is ready for a second round election the first Sunday in April is neither Arias nor Solís obtain the necessary 40% of the popular vote. In the event that both candidates are over the 40% and come out an even tie, the elder of the two men - Arias in this case - will declared a winner.

The rules governing the election and the actions of the TSE are clearly spelled out in the Political Constitution of the country.

"Even if Arias wins, it is still bad news for CAFTA because Costa Ricans said, 'Hold on, this is something we have to look at,"' said Michael Lettieri of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs think tank in Washington.

Costa Rica is the only signatory not to have ratified the trade deal.