Skeptical and Apathetic
While Costa Ricans currently enjoy the most opportunities ever of partaking in public decisions, they do not consider themselves an integral part of politics.

This was established by the 12th Estado de la nación (state of the nation) report, which dedicated a whole chapter to the functioning of democracy.

The evidence for such feelings is found in the skepticism and apathy that Costa Ricans displayed in last February’s national election, as well as in their abstaining from using the means that promote participating democracy, such as the plebiscite, the referendum, and the popular initiative at the Legislative Assembly, among others.

The inability of public institutions to comply with the mandate of citizens adds to the feeling, the Report adds.

As a token of the issue, the Report underlines that abstention reached 35 percent last February – the highest since 1958 –, even though there are no obstacles to casting the vote and 50 percent of the people live less than 1 kilometer away from the closest polling station.

The chairman of the Tribunal Supremo de Eleccioners (TSE) - Supreme Election Tribunal-  Oscar Fonseca, blamed the unfulfilled promises of politicians as a major reason for the trend, while several politicians asserted that they are making efforts to revert it.