Laura Chinchilla Miranda, a female candidate from the leftist ruling National Liberation Party, has real chances to win the Sunday presidential elections in Costa Rica, having over 10 percentage points ahead of her main rivals.

According to various opinion polls she is a forerunner with support of over 40% of the electorate, while her closest competitors, Otto Guevara from the oppositional Citizens' Action Party and Otton Solis from the Libertarian Movement Party, enjoy support of 27% and 12% of the voters, respectively.

Laura Chinchilla, 50, is a strong supporter of the incumbent President Oscar Arias, and has vowed to continue his democratic course, focusing on solving economic problems in the country.

During her election run she pledged to fight poverty and ensure the protection of women's rights.

"A secure society is where all its citizens have equal access to a decent life and future prosperity," she said in her Vision for Costa Rica statement.

Chinchilla started her political career in 1994 when she was appointed deputy security minister and later security minister of Costa Rica. She is currently the country's vice-president and justice minister.

Costa Rica is widely considered the most democratic and stable country in Latin America. It was the first country in the world to abolish the Armed Forces in 1948.

MEXICO, February 7 (RIA Novosti)