Social Christian Unity Party
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President | Pedro Muñoz Fonseca |
Secretary-General | Rodolfo Piza Rocafort |
Treasurer | Emilce Fuentes Hernández |
Founded | 1977 |
Ideology |
Christian democracy Conservatism |
Political position | Centre-right |
Regional affiliation | Christian Democrat Organization of America |
International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International (formerly) |
Colours | Blue and Red |
Legislative Assembly |
8 / 57
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Mayors |
14 / 81
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Regidors |
104 / 495
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Party flag | |
The Social Christian Unity Party (Partido de Unidad Socialcristiana) is a centre-right political party in Costa Rica.
PUSC considers itself a Christian democratic party and, as such, is a member of the Christian Democrat Organization of America (ODCA). It was founded in 1983 by merger of the parties that were part of the Unity Coalition: the Christian Democratic, the Republican Calderonist, People's Union and the Democratic Renovation Party. Its historical roots are in Calderonism, i.e. the movement of supporters of Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, who was the country's president in the 1940s. From its foundation until 2006, the PUSC was one of Costa Rica's two dominant parties, alongside the National Liberation Party. It provided three presidents: Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier (1990–94), Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (1998–2002) and Abel Pacheco (2002–06).
Negotiations among the main right-wing opposition parties to create a political force capable of confronting the National Libertation Party (PLN) started as early as 1973. Yet, wasn’t until 1977 that four political parties; People’s Union (liberal), Christian Democratic Party (Christian Democracy), Republican Calderonista (Calderonism) and Democratic Renovation (Christian Socialism) united forces in the Unity Coalition. After a primary election Rodrigo Carazo became the alliance’s nominee gaining victory in the 1978 general election. The Coalition not only achieved the Presidency but also a non-PLN parliamentary majority for the first time since PLN’s foundation. Yet, Carazo’s administration was very unpopular due to the economic crisis and the tensions with neighbor Nicaragua due to Costa Rica’s support of the rebel guerrilla FSLN. Thus, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier the Coalition’s candidate in the 1982 general election suffered a debacle gaining only 33% of the votes and PLN obtaining a landslide victory. Even though, Unity remained as the second political force.