PAC’s Luis Guillermo Solís launches presidential primary bid

Citizen Action Party (PAC) member Luis Guillermo Solís on Thursday officially launched a primary campaign to run for president in the 2014 elections.

Solís, 55 and a father of six, filed the paperwork for his candidacy to PAC Secretary General Olga Marta Sánchez and President of the Internal Elections Committee Silvia Castro.

“Costa Rica is falling into an abyss and we need to rescue it,” Solís said. “The effort to save the country is something that only PAC can do.”

Solís, a history and political science professor at the University of Costa Rica and a lifelong political activist, announced he would run last September.

He said he would back a political coalition to oppose National Liberation Party (PLN) candidate Johnny Araya, who after more than 15 years as San José mayor will step down this month to focus on the campaign.

Araya’s possible challenger said he has met with members of the Alive Coalition (Coalición Viva), a new political movement with a central-left tendency that includes Alianza Patriótica and Patria Nueva.

PAC primary candidate Juan Carlos Mendoza also showed interest in supporting the coalition.

“We’re going to do everything possible to form a coalition. For me, that should be PAC’s priority,” Solís said.

Mariano Figueres, son of ex-President José María Figueres Ferrer and brother of ex-President José María Figueres Olsen, is president of Alianza Patriótica and a leader of the Alive Coalition.

Along with Solís, Juan Carlos Mendoza, Epsy Campbell and Rónald Solís will seek the PAC nomination in a July 21 vote. The winner will take on Araya and other candidates in the February 2014 national election.