Former CBN Spanish News Anchor Wins First Round in Presidential Election

A former news anchor for CBN's Spanish news program Mundo Cristiano has won the first round of the presidential election in Costa Rica.

Journalist-turned-politician, Fabricio Alvarado will face a second round runoff in April.

He campaigned on a pro-family, pro-life, traditional marriage platform in the majority Catholic country.

The presidential election was unprecedented for Costa Rica because Alvarado, an Evangelical Christian was declared the winner. However, he did not receive a majority of votes and must face a runoff against the pro-government candidate, former Minister of Labor Carlos Alvarado. 

Fabricio Alvarado received 25% of the vote and Carlos Alvarado 22%. 

It is the first time in the country's history that an evangelical Christian has gotten close to holding the office of president of the republic.

Fabricio Alvarado is a former journalist who co-anchored the Spanish version of CBN's Christian World News, Mundo Cristiano from March 2009 to September 2013. He also is a Christian singer who in the last four years has served as a deputy in the Costa Rican Congress.

Fabricio Alvarado had an impressive rise in polls during the last month of the presidential campaign. That was attributed to his firm stance against same-sex marriage.  Costa Rican churches also played a significant role in the election result, motivating prayer and advocating defense of the traditional family.

"The Costa Rican family is at a crossroads because this government betrayed the values ​​of those who elected them.Tthey want to impose a sexual education guide, which stimulates homosexuality, which sexually activates our children from childhood. They want to change the institution of the family and of marriage. They want to legalize abortion as other countries have done. Costa Rica, like Latin America, has said: no! " explained Focus on the Family Director Sixto Porras.

A second round in the Costa Rica presidential election will be held Easter Sunday, April first.