Oscar Arias, a powerful, luminous, fearless advocate for free trade is winning in Costa Rica’s exit polls in what looks like a decisive victory.

Reportedly taking in 45% of the vote in a three-way field, it means his victory so strong he will avoid a runoff, if these numbers hold, putting this election on a comparable level with Evo Morales’ in Bolivia. The cutoff for avoiding a runoff is 40% of the vote. What does it mean? It means that despite the naysayers, the people insisting the region is turning left, Costa Ricans in their thousands cast their votes for free trade! If this is ‘left,’ give me more of it! And it means a rise in Costa Rica’s prestige in the world, for Arias had been president before and he was and is warmly regarded around the world.

This is dazzling news!

Oscar Arias, hmmmm.

Now who’s he? If you are old enough, you might be asking yourself ‘where did I hear that name before?’ You did hear that name, he is the same man who stepped in at a very dark hour during the Nicaraguan Sandinista and Salvadoran FMLN wars and mediated for peace, ending Central America’s long horrible wars of the 1980s, and leaving the entire region democratic, something that got him a much-deserved Nobel Prize.

Today, as free trade battles the forces of isolation and Chavismo, and Costa Rica itself is notable for being the only Central American country not to ratify CAFTA, things will change under President Arias. This man stood up for free trade against conventional leftist establishment opinion, insisting on its potential for creating jobs and prosperity. He stood up to leftists, ran on that “unwinnable” and nervy campaign plank, and …. won.

There is no substitute for victory. When I was writing about CAFTA, I had the awesome experience of reading some of Arias’ speeches seeking free trade, and I was knocked over by how brilliant his arguments and eloquence was. He wrote with fire and conviction and apologized for nothing. He believed in free trade, he believed in democracy, he believed in peace and he was willing to stand up for it.

I am awed, awed, awed.

VIVA COSTA RICA!!!!

Here is a blog roundup:

Elecciones2006 is liveblogging the event with a whole group of Costa Rican posters. They also have the official election results posted at the top, which as of 10:10 p.m. with 32% of the ballots counted, shows Oscar Arias with 41% of the vote, left-populist Otton Solis with 40.2%, and libertarian Otto Guevara with 8.2%. It’s a cool blog in Spanish. Hat Tip to Global Voices.

Costa Rica Blogs has details about the sights and sounds of the election, the weather, the sentiment and many assorted facts from multiple sources. They also have a group of news listings for live coverage. Their link is here.

Carlos Alberto Montaner at his Firmas Press has the real scoop on Arias, the real reasons why we should be so happy at his victory. He knows a mountain about the man and it’s all good news. His essay is a must-read here.

Alvaro Vargas Llosa, at his Independent Institute, makes the original and important point that the real story of the Costa Rican election is the sudden rise of the libertarian party’s candidate, a real first in Latin America, and something that’s a critical development. Libertarian pockets exist all over Latin America and boy do they know what’s wrong with their countries, they are a critical source of information and understanding for me, for instance. This is the FIRST time a libertarian candidate has made a respectable showing. Even though they did not win against Arias, they will be back. Vargas Llosa is absolutely right and his must-read essay is here.

Chilean newspaper columnist Libardo Buitrago has a straight-news posting in Spanish from an Argentine newspaper but keep an eye on him, he might add some commentary. His blog is here.

Jacqueline Mackey Paisley Passey, apparently a traveller in Costa Rica, is less than enamored of Arias, but for funny and entertaining non-political reasons. Her eye-opener is here.

Jorge at Sunni & the Conspirators is equally disdainful, noting that there isn’t a libertarian candidate in this here race and this could affect Costa Rica’s attractiveness as a retirement spot. It’s here.