Costa Rican right-wing candidate Laura Fernandez holds final rally

Right-wing politician Laura Fernandez appeared set to win Costa Rica's presidential election in the first round, according to two opinion polls published Wednesday.

Fernandez has campaigned on promises to crack down hard on drug traffickers, blamed for a surge in violence in the Caribbean country. According to polls from the University of Costa Rica and polling firm OPol Consultores, Fernandez is leading with between 40 percent and 43.2 percent of stated voter intention.

Fernandez aims to win the presidency with a large enough legislative majority to allow her to make changes to the judiciary which the government has accused of thwarting its anti-crime agenda.  Leftist leaders did not win a single presidential election in Latin America last year as voters tired of economic woes.