QCOSTARICA — Through a popular vote, similar to a presidential election, Costa Ricans could define the opening of the electricity market and the end of the Recope monopoly, as well as the future of Ciudad Gobierno, the Limón Marina and Cruise Terminal and the possible exploitation of gas and gold in Costa Rica.
Other topics that could be included in the referendum or popular consultation, a process that involves the public in providing their views and feedback on a proposal to consider in the decision-making, are the closure and merger of public institutions, such as the Consejo Nacional de Producción (CNP), the Fábrica Nacional de Licores (FNL) and all decentralized bodies of the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT), the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE) and the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG)
The referendum mechanism opens the doors of citizen participation in decision-making, allowing Costa Ricans (Ticos) to become a kind of Legislative Assembly.
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In that sense, the breadth of the topics is very varied.
“If something is clear to me, it is that the country wants to be heard and I think there is no reason to be afraid of the popular will,” Natalia Díaz, Ministra de la Presidencia (Government Chief of Staff), told La Republica.
And this very week all the details of the popular consultation are expected to be announced, according to what President Chaves personally expressed in recent days.
Although the referendum mechanism can be used on multiple topics, it is also true that it has several limits.
For example, it cannot consult topics related to budgetary, tax, and pension matters, nor can it make adjustments regarding loans.
Also not possible to include in the referendum on this occasion is the revocation of the mandate of the president and legislators, as well as for the presidential re-election.
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The quickest way to initiate a referendum would be for 38 out of the 57 current legislators to back the proposal for a referendum. Failing, it would require the government to obtain an endorsement from at least 29 legislators to proceed with the referendum.
Assuming that the government will not obtain either the support or endorsement, it will have to promote its plans through the mechanism of popular initiative, a process that requires at least 5% of the electoral roll (180,000 signatures) within a specific time.
In any case, a referendum can only be held six months before (or after) a presidential election, and the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) – elections tribunal – have at least three months time to organize the popular consulting and voting.
Currently, the government of President Chaves has less than a year remaining to finish all the necessary procedures, with the latest possible date for a referendum being Sunday, July 27, 2025. That is IF the process is completed by not later than Wednesday, April 30, 2025, after which it will no longer be possible to hold the referendum.
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The call for a referendum is a controversial issue, with both sides with strong opinions, such as that of Ministra Diaz who said, “The referendum is a democratic tool, so it seems irresponsible to me to express an opinion without knowing what will be presented.”
On her part, government party leader and legislator Pilar Cisneros rhetorically asked publicly, “Why are they afraid of democracy? Why are traditional parties afraid? (…).”
“Using the referendum as a capricious and vengeful mechanism to go against the Powers of the Republic and against our institutions is a vain pretension that will not find fertile ground in this Congress,” expressed the President of the Legislative Assembly, Rodrigo Arias.
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