Laura Fernandez, President Rodrigo Chaves's protege and former chief of staff, is a frontrunner and could avoid an April 5 run-off. Polls have opened in the Costa Rica general election as the centre-right populist government seeks to extend its mandate and secure control of the Legislative Assembly at a time when drug-fuelled violence has gripped the country. Voting stations opened at 6am local time (12:00 GMT) on Sunday and will remain open until 6pm (24:00 GMT), with early trends likely within hours.
Far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party who claims to be inspired by US President Donald Trump has won Chile's presidential run-off election, marking a major shift in the Latin American nation's political landscape. Kast, who campaigned on a promise to expel undocumented migrants and crack down on crime, secured 58 percent of the votes against left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara, who won 42 percent, in one of the most polarised elections in recent memory.
St Lucian prime minister Philip Pierre's Labour party (SLP) has held its legislative majority, putting Pierre on course for reelection after a campaign centered on economic management, violent crime and passport sales. Official election results on Tuesday showed the social democratic SLP winning at least 13 seats in the small Caribbean island's 17-seat House of Assembly, matching its current majority with two seats left to be called.