Centre-left academic Luis Guillermo Solis cruised to victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election on Sunday, ousting the ruling National Liberation Party (PLN).

Mr Solis, of the Citizen Action Party (PAC), took 78 per cent of the vote on the back of public anger at rising inequality and government corruption scandals

His PLN opponent Johnny Araya effectively quit the race last month after polls showed he had little chance.

Mr Solis’s win signalled another victory for Latin America’s centre-left parties, which have steadily gained ground in recent years.

“More than 1 million Costa Ricans have said Yes to change,” Mr Solis told thousands of cheering supporters waving red-and-yellow party flags on Sunday night.

“We need to shift away from violence expressed in poverty, in inequality and in the utterly perverse form of corruption.”

Election officials said that, with 94 per cent of polling stations counted, Mr Solis took 77.88 per cent to Mr Aray’s 22.12 per cent.

Mr Solis pledged to cut the poverty rate and stamp out corruption — an issue that has dogged President Laura Chinchilla’s government.

His supporters filled the streets of San Jose and drivers honked their horns in celebration.

It was the first PAC presidential victory and ends an the PLN’s eight-year rule.

PAC has promised to increase social spending, although Mr Solis says he will wait two years before raising taxes.

“We want to recover that sense of solidarity, social inclusion and commitment to the neediest Costa Ricans that has been lost,” Mr Solis said.

His goal had been to earn at least a million votes to boost his legitimacy and he easily surpassed the target, clocking up 1.3m by Sunday night.