Ex-president takes lead in Costa Rica vote; runoff likely

A former Costa Rican president took an early lead in national election in what had been a wide-open field of 25 candidates

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- A former Costa Rican president took an early lead in a national election that seemed likely to head to a runoff between the top candidates.

José María Figueres, who was the country's president from 1994 to 1998, had 27.7% of the vote in preliminary results released by the Supreme Elections Tribunal Sunday night with 48% of the votes counted. Figueres is the candidate for the National Liberation Party.

There are 25 presidential candidates running and if none of them captures at least 40% of the vote, a runoff will be held April 3 between the top two vote-getters.

Figueres was trailed by Rodrigo Chávez of Social Democratic Progress with 16.6%, Fabricio Alvarado, who lost to President Carlos Alvarado four years ago, with 16% for his New Republic party, and former vice president Lineth Saborio for Christian Social Unity with 13%. Any of the three could potentially face Figueres in the second round of voting.