Rodriguez Appeals to be Heard Tomorrow
Tomorrow may be a big day for former president Miguel Angel Rodríguez, who is under house arrest for the next six months, following his detention as he returned to Costa Rica after stepping down as Secretart General of the Organization of American States (OAS).

On Tuesday, the appeals for his house arrest and the order to pay ¢250.000.000 colones bond, will be heard.

The Ministerio Público is expected to argue that the former president should be in a jail cell and not in his apartment. The Fiscalía (prosecutor's office) is expected to argue that Rodríguez could influence their investigation, taking advantage his position as a former president and former Secretary General of the OAS, to influence those who have agreed to or may in the future testify against him.

The Fiscalía is well aware that Rodríguez is still a powerful and influential figure in Costa Rica and that may intimidate witnesses or impede the flow of information to the prosecutors if the former president remains "free" - under house arrest.

Jorge Matamoros, defence lawyer for Rodríguez, said he believes that the house arrest will continue and that the bond amount will be reduced. Rodríguez has appealed the court's order to pay the bond.

Rodríguez is living in an apartment in Vargas Araya, Montes de Oca (San Pedro), when judge Carlos Jovel Sánchez order house arrest instead of jail. Rodríguez is under 24 hour watch by police, for his own safety, and is visited by high ranking police officials on a regular basis so that he can sign the book, indicating his compliance with the house arrest order.

Alajuela Gets New Hospital
Residents of Alajuela have been joyous the last week with the opening of the new hospital that has been 22 years in the waiting.

The new hospital will keep the same name of the old hospital, San Rafael, and was officially opened by president Abel Pacheco yesterday following a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The hospital took 22 years to become a reality, following a decision by the president of board of directors of the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS), Guido Miranda, in 1982.

The new hospital is three times the size of the old, with 34.586 square meters of construction on four floors. The hospital will have 310 beds and 8 operating rooms, that cost us$36 million dollars and is expected to serve 700.000 residents.

Medical director, Francisco Pérez Gutiérrez, says the hospital is currently at 70% operational capacity, with surgeries beginning on Tuesday.

During his inaugural speech, President Pacheco moved away from the original text to adlib that the "sinvergüenzas y los canallas" (scoundrels and swines) are few within the CCSS and other public institutions.

The president's comments were referring to the recent scandals that have overtaken the country that has seen many public functionaries and businessmen arrested for corruption and graft, that has included two former presidents of Costa Rica.

The hospital is located in front of the Mall Internacional Alajuela and less than a kilmetre from the Juan Santamaria International airport.

PUSC Party Needs to Re-Organize

Legislators and members of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) were surprised at the decision to incarcerate for nine months former president Rafael Angel Calderón as the Fiscalía continues it's investigation into corruption and payoffs over the loan from Finland to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) that has seen various public functionaries, along with the former president in preventive detention.

Pain, consternation and above all respect for the court decision is what members of the PUSC party feel, the same party that has former president Rodríguez and current president, Abel Pacheco, as it's members.

Lorena Vásquez, president of the PUSC told the media, "I believe in the division of powers. I believe we can have a quick, just and impartial justice".

Everyone at the PUSC as many Costa Ricans were takin by surprise and shock following judge Carmen Peraza who felt that Calderón would impeded the prosecutor's investigation and many flee the country.

In the last few days, it was revealed that the former president has substantial holdings in the United States.

Ricardo Toledo, former Minister for the Presidency, a member of the PUSC and the legislature, said "we have to beleive in the courts, justice is justice. If a judge makes a decision, it must be respected".

The PUSC party is now in the process of analyzing changes necessary for the party to continue as the arrest of two former leaders, has greatly affected it. The party will be holding a national assembly in the coming weeks, to discuss strategy and course for the future of the party.

 

Pedophile Gets 16 Years
Retired American dentist accused of drugging girls for sex at a beach house in Quepos was sentenced last Wednesday to 16 years prison.

Dr. Arthur Carl Kanev, 57, fled Costa Rica while free on bail.

He was arrested last July in Flordia as he returned to his mother's condominium in Pompano Beach after a month long stakeout by Broward County sheriff's deputies.

Kanev was the first American to be extradited to Costa Rica after formally dropping his challenge to the extradition.

Costa Rican authorities arrested Kanev after hundreds of pictures of child pornography were found at his beach house in 1999. Authorities said Kanev and a cohort drugged and raped local girls, some as young as 13, and took pornographic pictures of them.

Kanev, denied any wrongdoing in an interview in 2000 on ABC's 20/20 about the Costa Rican sex trade, and he was profiled on America's Most Wanted in 2001.

In extradition papers, Costa Rica named eight victims and offered statements from several teenagers who said five men were staying at the house. Authorities said poor girls were offered marijuana, liquor, food and the use of a swimming pool and nearby beach.

At the trial thirteen witnesses testified against Kanev, most of who had testified against Joe Curtis, who was also found guilty and is serving twenty four years in a Costa Rican prison.

Girls said they also were sedated and woke up realizing someone had sexually assaulted them. Police found sedatives and pictures of sleeping, partially nude girls when they searched the house.

Some of the girls said they consented to sex. A 16-year-old said she was paid every time she brought a new friend to the house. She received money for visits with no sex but more for sex. A girl said she had sex with "Arturo" on her second visit and he used condoms.

Another girl said she visited the house three times a week and pictures were taken on some visits. A 19-year-old said she once woke up topless and feeling drugged.

Taiwan To Organize Trade Mission To Visit Latin America
The government of Taiwan is planning to organize a large-scale trade mission to visit Latin America early next year, Vice President Annette Lu said Sunday.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Latin Plaza-Expo 2004, an exhibition of handicrafts and products from Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Latin America, Lu said that the executive branch is making preparations for the mission.

During the ceremony, Lu played the marimba together with Costa Rican Ambassador in Taipei Oscar Alvarez, symbolizing the close cooperation and friendship between Taiwan and Latin American nations.

Lu is scheduled to visit Central America again next spring and to attend the Democratic Pacific Union's East Pacific regional forum to be held in Costa Rica.

The exhibition, being held at the Taipei World Trade Center, will run through Oct. 27.

During the exhibition, no mention was made of Taiwan's role in making payments to former president Miguel Angel Rodríguez, who is now under house arrest in on corruption charges, or payments to Nicaraguan president Enrique Bolaños, who may face impeachment on corruption charges linked to his 2001 campaign finances, allegedly received US$4.9 million in illegal campaign funds from Taiwan.