The Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) has announced the disqualification of two potential presidential candidates for failing to meet required conditions for candidacy.

Viviam Quesada, a lawyer and journalist, and Osvaldo Villalobos, a businessman, were unable to fulfill the documentation requirements set by the party ahead of the deadline on January 17.

The PLN's Tribunal de Elecciones Internas (TEI) confirmed that both Quesada and Villalobos did not submit necessary documents on time to officially register their candidacies.

While the party recognized Quesada's party membership, it was noted that she did not submit all documentation within the stipulated timeframe.

Villalobos was unable to demonstrate his party membership, failing to submit any relevant documentation.

Quesada has vowed to contest this decision, stating plans to file a reconsideration motion.

She reported a health issue that reportedly prevented her from completing the necessary administrative procedures on the deadline day.

In response, Enrique Alvarado, President of the TEI, indicated that her medical certification was filed after the deadline, thus deemed 'untimely.' He also pointed out that her representatives could have submitted the documents on her behalf, but they failed to do so.

Currently, five other candidates remain in the running for the PLN's April convention: deputy Carolina Delgado Ramírez, former CCSS president Álvaro Ramos Chaves, former foreign minister Enrique Castillo Barrantes, economist Marvin Taylor Dormond, and deputy Gilberth Jiménez Siles.

As per the PLN's statutes, presidential candidates must meet constitutional criteria such as age and Costa Rican nationality, be current with party dues, and must not have ongoing legal proceedings or ethical sanctions.

Additionally, candidates should maintain uninterrupted party membership for the two years preceding the election unless exempt due to electoral prohibitions, and must pay a fee for candidacy registration.