The Citizens' Action Party (, PAC) is a Costa Rican political party that identifies primarily with social democracy, progressivism, and political reform. Founded in 2000, the party emerged as an alternative to the country's traditional two-party system, placing particular emphasis on transparency, citizen participation, and the fight against corruption. It governed from 2014 to 2022 under presidents Luis Guillermo Solís and Carlos Alvarado Quesada.

The party's platform is centered on promoting citizen involvement in public affairs, strengthening democratic institutions, and ensuring accountability in government. Opposition to corruption has been one of its defining principles, with the party arguing that corruption contributes to underdevelopment, weakens public finances, and discourages political participation.

The PAC played a prominent role in the campaign opposing Costa Rica's accession to the Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement, becoming one of the leading political voices against the treaty during the national debate of the 2000s. Over time, the party expanded its platform to include environmental protection, same-sex marriage, human rights, and public-sector modernization.

History and elections

Founding and 2002 election

The Citizens' Action Party (PAC) was founded on 3 December 2000 by dissidents from Costa Rica's two traditional political parties, the National Liberation Party (PLN) and the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC). Its principal founders included economist Ottón Solís Fallas, Margarita Penón Góngora, and Alberto Cañas Escalante, all former PLN members who argued that the party had abandoned its social democratic ideological principles and ethical standards. Under Solís's leadership, the PAC sought to channel growing public dissatisfaction with the traditional two-party system.

Initially focused on combating corruption and promoting political reform, the party made a significant breakthrough in the 2002 general election. Its presidential candidate, Solís, won approximately 26.2% of the vote, one of the strongest performances by a third-party candidate in modern Costa Rican history. Although he did not advance to the second round, his candidacy contributed to the fragmentation of the traditional party system and marked the beginning of a new era of multiparty competition in Costa Rican politics.

In the legislative election, the PAC won 21.9% of the popular vote and secured 14 of the 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly, becoming the third-largest political force in the legislature. However, internal disagreements soon emerged, and six of the party's fourteen deputies left the PAC within months of taking office, reducing its caucus to eight members. Despite these defections, the party remained a significant opposition force and consolidated its position as an alternative to the country's traditional parties.

2006 election

In the 2006 general election, the PAC further consolidated its position as one of Costa Rica's principal political forces. Its presidential candidate, Ottón Solís Fallas, ran for a second time and narrowly lost to Óscar Arias Sánchez of the National Liberation Party. Arias won by less than two percentage points and surpassed the 40% threshold required to avoid a runoff by only a few thousand votes. The number of spoiled ballots exceeded the margin separating the two candidates. The PAC performed even more strongly in the legislative election, receiving approximately 27% of the vote and increasing its representation from 14 to 17 seats in the Legislative Assembly, which made it the second-largest parliamentary bloc and represented one of the fastest electoral advances achieved by a Costa Rican political party in the contemporary democratic era.

Following the election, Solís temporarily withdrew from active politics and spent a year teaching in the United States. During this period, discussions began within the party regarding its future leadership, led by former deputy Alberto Salom. Among the figures whose names were mentioned was former PLN secretary general Luis Guillermo Solís, who had become increasingly critical of his former party. Several PAC officials wanted Luis Guillermo Solís to run as a deputy in San José and as a vice presidential candidate in 2010. Soon afterward, he became involved in internal party discussions and strategy meetings, positioning himself as a prominent figure within the organization ahead of the 2014 election, in which he would eventually become the party's presidential candidate.

2018 election

In July 2017, the PAC held its third national primary election ahead of the 2018 election. The contest was between two former members of President Luis Guillermo Solís's cabinet: Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce Welmer Ramos González and Minister of Labor and Social Security Carlos Alvarado Quesada. Ramos, a socially conservative economist, was generally associated with the party's founding ottonista faction, while Alvarado, a writer and political scientist, was identified with the party's more progressive wing. Alvarado won the primary and became the PAC's presidential nominee.

The election took place amid declining public approval of the Solís administration, partly as a result of the Cementazo corruption scandal. During the campaign, however, the political landscape was reshaped by a ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights calling on Costa Rica to recognize same-sex marriage. The decision generated significant public debate and contributed to the rapid rise of evangelical singer and conservative candidate Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz of the National Restoration Party. Carlos Alvarado campaigned in support of the implementation of the court's ruling and other progressive social policies. As the election became increasingly polarized around cultural and social issues, he emerged as the principal alternative to Fabricio Alvarado and advanced to the second round.

In the runoff election, held on 1 April 2018, Carlos Alvarado defeated Fabricio Alvarado by a wide margin, receiving 60.1% of the vote. With more than 1.3 million votes, he became the second PAC candidate to win the presidency and secured the party's second consecutive term in office. The result represented one of the largest margins of victory in a Costa Rican presidential runoff election.

Platform

While cleaning up corruption has been one of PAC's main goals since its creation, Solís has added to the party's platform. He wants to build infrastructure, bolster Costa Rica's universal health care and social security systems and push for environmentally friendly policies. Historically, PAC has opposed free trade agreements such as CAFTA, which Solís claims is improperly implemented. In addition, PAC claims that the country's tax system is inadequate, saying that a more progressive system is needed.

International relations

PAC is a member of the Progressive Alliance. It maintains informal relations with other progressive and social democratic parties. Ottón Solís has independently met with Ricardo Lagos of the Socialist Party of Chile during a visit to Costa Rica, Cristina Fernández, and members of the Democratic Party of the United States.

Controversies

Estafa cases

The party was affected in 2016 by a conviction for irregular handling of funds when treasurer Maynor Sterling and an official of the headquarters named Bolaños were found guilty of trying to collect from the Supreme Elections Court for goods and services donated by adherents of the party. The conviction carried a fine of 500 million colones and jail terms for the two involved. In December 2020, the PAC resorts to requesting donations to pay the debt for fraud to the State.

Members

Other notable members of PAC

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible " border="1"

|-

! colspan="3" style="background: gold; color: black" |Notable Members of PAC

|-

! scope="col" style="background: crimson; color: white" |Name (Last, First)

! scope="col" style="background: crimson; color: white" width="500px" |Notes

|-

| Campbell Barr, Epsy

| Vice President 2018–2022, Deputy 2002–2006 and 2014–2018, party president 2005–2009, politician, civil rights advocate

|-

| Blanco, Wilfrido

| Vice Minister of Education Abel Pacheco administration (2002–2006). Former PLN member.

|-

| Carazo Zeledón, Rodrigo Alberto

| National Ombudsman 1993–1997, and deputy 2002–2006. Son of ex-president Rodrigo Carazo Odio

|-

| Chacón Echeverría, Ana Helena

| Minister of Public Safety (Abel Pacheco administration (2002–2006), deputy (2006–2010), daughter of Luis Manuel Chacón (founding member of PUSC), Vice President (2014).

|-

| Salom Echeverría, Alberto

| president of the Costa Rican Federation of University Students 1974–1975, vice president of National University of Costa Rica 1995–2000, deputy for PAC (2006–2010).

|-

| Cañas Escalante, Alberto

| founding member of PAC, secretary of the Founding Junta of the Second Republic 1948, United Nations ambassador 1948–1949, president Editorial Costa Rica, deputy 1962–1966, Legislative Assembly President 1994–1998, Prime Minister 1970–1974.

|-

| Fallas, Helio

| Minister of Planning Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier administration (1990–1994), Minister of Housing during Abel Pacheco administration (2002–2006), Vice President, 2014.

|-

| Salas Bonilla, Jorge Antonio

| Mayor of Tibás Cantón 2007–2011.

|-

| Solano, Hernán

| Vice Minister of Youth Abel Pacheco administration (2002–2006). Former PUSC member.

|-

| Solís Fallas, Ottón

| Minister of Planning Óscar Arias administration (1986–1988), deputy (Figueres administration) 1994–1998, founding member of PAC, three-time presidential candidate for PAC, deputy 2014–2018.

|-

| Solís Bolaños, Ronald

| deputy with PAC 2006–2010, anti-CAFTA activist, businessman. Ran in PAC presidential primary in 2013.

|-

| Solís Rivera, Luis Guillermo

| Politician, historian, professor of Latin American Studies. Ex PLN Secretary General. President Elect 2014–2018.

|-

| Trejos Lalli, Eduardo

| Internationalist and advisor, current Intelligence Director

|-

| Villasuso, Juan Manuel

| President of Costa Rican Institute of Electricity Luis Alberto Monge administration (1982–1983), Minister of Planning Luis Alberto Monge administration (1983–1986). Former PLN member.

|-

|}

Electoral performance

Presidential

{| class=wikitable style="text-align: right;"

|-

!rowspan=2|Election

!rowspan=2|Candidate

!colspan=4|First round

!colspan=4|Second round

|-

!Votes

!%

!Position

!Result

!Votes

!%

!Position

!Result

|-

! 2002

| rowspan="3" | Ottón Solís

| 400,681

| 26.19%

| 3rd

|

|-

! 2006

| 646,382

| 39.80%

| 2nd

|

|-

! 2010

| 464,454

| 25.15%

| 2nd

|

|-

! 2014

| Luis Guillermo Solís

| 629,866

| 30.64%

| 1st

| ─

| 1,314,327

| 77.81%

| 1st

|

|-

! 2018

| Carlos Alvarado Quesada

| 466,129

| 21.63%

| 2nd

| ─

| 1,322,908

| 60.59%

| 1st

|

|-

! 2022

| Welmer Ramos González

| 13,803

| 0.66%

| 10th

|

|-

! 2026

| Claudia Dobles Camargo

| 125.714

| 4.91%

| 3rd

|

|}

Parliamentary

{| class=wikitable style="text-align: right;"

|-

! Election

! Leader

! Votes

! %

! Seats

! +/–

! Position

! Government

|-

! 2002

| rowspan="3" | Ottón Solís

| 334,162

| 22.0%

|

| New

| 3rd

|

|-

! 2006

| 409,030

| 25.3%

|

| 3

| 2nd

|

|-

! 2010

| 334,636

| 17.6%

|

| 6

| 2nd

|

|-

! 2014

| Luis Guillermo Solís

| 480,969

| 23.4%

|

| 2

| 2nd

|

|-

! 2018

| Carlos Alvarado Quesada

| 347,703

| 16.3%

|

| 3

| 3rd

|

|-

! 2022

| Welmer Ramos González

| 44,622

| 2.2%

|

| 10

| 7th

|

|-

! 2026

| Claudia Dobles Camargo

|103,560

| 4.07%

|

| 1

| 4th

|

|}

References

  • Official website