Jose Maria Figueres, who was president from 1990 to 1994, had 27 percent of the vote with 63 percent of ballots counted (AFP Photo)

Costa Rica�s former president Jose Maria Figueres has led the preliminary vote count in Sunday�s presidential election, with former finance minister Rodrigo Chaves set to face him in a run-off.

Figueres was leading comfortably with 27.3 percent of the vote from three-quarters of polling stations, with economist Chaves racing past evangelical Christian Alvarado Munoz with 16.6 percent of the tally.

Chaves, a former World Bank official who served as the finance minister for about half a year under outgoing Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, had been running fourth in recent opinion polls.

Fabricio Alvarado of the neo-Pentecostal New Republic Party and runner-up in the Central American country�s 2018 election was running third, garnering support of 15.2 percent voters.

To clinch the first round, a candidate had to get more than 40 percent of votes. The two leading candidates will face each other in a run-off on April 3.

Chaves, who has refuted accusations he had been censured for sexual harassment earlier in his career, called on Figueres to pursue a dignified discourse in the run-off.

I have been attacked by few, but very viciously. If I made a mistake, I apologize, he told supporters.

Figueres, 67, who was Costa Rica�s president from 1994 to 1998 under the centrist National Liberation Part, is a noted businessman and politician.

Alvarado Munoz was a runner-up in the country�s 2018 presidential vote. He enjoys the support of the evangelical community, which makes up about 20 percent of the country�s 5 million population.

All 57 seats of the national legislative assembly are also up for grabs.

Under Costa Rican law, the incumbent center-left President Carlos Alvarado cannot seek a second consecutive term.

During his tenure, Alvarado Quesada, 42, witnessed nationwide civil disobedience after proposing to increase taxes and cut public servant�s pensions to ease off the country�s budget deficits.

He was also a strong proponent of gay marriages in the Christian-majority country.

Costa Ricans have said they want their next leader to tackle corruption and high unemployment rates.