Alliances of politicians, young and progressive groups are alarmed by one of the presidential candidates, Fabricio Alvarado, who comes from a religious background and has suggested that Costa Rica should separate from the Inter-Aamerican Human Rights Court for ruling in favor of defending LGBTQI people's rights. Photo by Julieth Méndez. Used with permission. Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz and Carlos Alvarado Quesada will vie for president of Costa Rica in a closely contested election scheduled for April 1, 2018. Defenders of human rights and the LGBTQI community are concerned that if religious candidate Fabricio Alvarado wins, they face grave risk. Fabricio Alvarado, a psalmist and Christian singer, belongs to the Partido de Restaruación Nacional (National Restoration Party–PRN), representing the most conservative party on the Costa Rican political scene. Carlos Alvarado Quesada represents Partido Acción Ciudadana (Citizen Action Party–PAC). Costa Rican feminist groups are most alarmed by Fabricio Alvarado's campaign proposal to convert the National Institute of Women (a ministerial institution) into the “Family Institute.” During the campaign for the first round of votes, Fabricio Alvarado focused his political platform on the rejection of sexual education currently delivered in public schools as well as “gender ideology“, a concept circulating among conservative political circles that rejects the idea of gender as a social construct. To the surprise of many, Fabricio Alvarado won the second round with 25 percent of the vote. The Inter-American Human Rights Court issued a Consultative Opinion (OC 24/17) in response to a 2016 request by the Costa Rican government. OC 24/17 mandates the State to guarantee certain individual rights linked to same-sex couples and the personal construction of gender identity. Fabricio Alvarado declared opposition to the ruling as part of his campaign platform, earning him the support of the most conservative and religious groups in the country. The consequences of this debate have seriously impacted the LGBTQI community. According to the Front for Equal Rights, reports of verbal and physical attacks on sex-diverse people have multiplied since the election. On February 3, independent journalist Diego Delfino highlighted the seriousness of Fabricio Alvarado's proposal to withdraw from the Inter-American Human Rights Court. For Delfino, Fabricio Alvarado's position constitutes a threat to the advancement of human rights: Todo lo que se nos aplaude y reconoce en el exterior por la abolición del ejército se vendría al suelo si nos convirtiéramos en un país que desconoce la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos firmada en 1969 […] Imaginen aquel escenario de bochorno global, Costa Rica, coqueteando con la Edad Media y pidiendo entrada en los rincones más oscuros del fundamentalismo que aún subsisten en el planeta. All the applause and recognition we receive abroad for the abolition of the army would fall away if we become a country that rejects the American Convention on Human Rights signed in 1969 […] Imagine what a global disgrace, Costa Rica, flirting with the Middle Ages and asking to enter the darkest corners of fundamentalism that still exist on the planet. Fabricio Alvarado began his public life in the evangelical community and professed his vision for a secular government “but not without God.” He sat at the center of several controversies including the prohibition of elected deputies from making statements to the media and avoiding debates and interviews with the press. Speaking to Global Voices, activist Julia Ardón explains: Fabricio deja de asistir a los debates donde estaba confirmada su asistencia y anuncia un equipo económico “de lujo”, un “dream team” con lo más selecto de la banca privada, economistas neoliberales, sin una propuesta sólida pero claramente comprometido con privatizaciones y el desmantelamiento del Estado de Bienestar, al mismo tiempo que denota un desdén absoluto por el respeto de los derechos humanos y los compromisos sociales del gobierno. Fabricio doesn't attending debates where his appearance has been already confirmed and announces a “top notch” economic team, a “dream team” selected from the private banking sector, neoliberal economists, with no solid proposals but clearly committed to privatization and the dismantling of the Welfare State, while also showing a complete disdain for respect for human rights and the government's social commitments. Fearing the rise of fundamentalism, various unprecedented initiatives arose throughout the country. The first “Coalition for Costa Rica” meeting took place on February 10 and was called by students and youth from various parties as well as participants with no political affiliation.