Tibás Orders Closure Of
Pensión That Was Front
For Brothel
Following a series of
reports by the
Telenoticias, Channel
7's news team, during
this past as a reporter
with hidden camera
infiltrated a "pensión"
in Tibás that was a
front for a "prostibulo"
(brothel), the
Municipalidad de Tibás
ordered its closing.
The use of a pensión as
a front for a house of
ill repute is nothing
new, in San José there
are more than 100
"massage parlours" that
operate under a pensión
license.
Unlike in San José, the
Municipalidad de Tibás,
acted quickly, placing
seals on the doors of
the house that on the
outside looks like any
other house in the area,
but inside is nothing
but, offering sexual
favours to clients.
According to municipal
records the location has
a had a "patente"
(license) to operate as
a pensión for about a
year and a half,
although area residents
say the place has been
operating for several
years.
However, it wasn't until
the Telenoticias cameras
entered the premises and
aired on national
television did the
municipality act.
Neighbour complaints led
to a number of police
investigations and
inspections by municipal
officials which resulted
in nothing. However, the
mayor of Tibás said the
closure was ordered
because the evidence
gathered by the hidden
television cameras was
clear on what was going
on in the location.
In addition, municipal
officials will be
inspecting with more
frequency and vigor
other similar locations
in Tibás to ensure that
they are within the
municipal guidelines of
a pensión and nothing
more.
In the Tibás case the
action was by municipal
and not judicial
officials, who told the
press that the "fiscales"
(areas prosecutors" will
be investigating the
case to determine if the
owners were promoting
prostitution.
Last week, judicial
officials raided a
locale in La Uruca, in
the area of Hospital
México, following an
investigation that the
massage parlour was a
front for prostitution.
Similar investigations
are ongoing around the
country, bust seldom
lead to arrests or in
the case of Tibás the
municipality taking
action to shut down the
premises.
Massage parlours or
brothels frequently
operate under the guise
of a pensión, a license
issued by the
municipalities for the
location. A pensión
license, in contrast to
a hotel, allows the
license holder to rent a
room to clients on a
short term basis.
In effect, massage
parlours operating under
a pensión license rent
their rooms to the girls
and their clients.
Bookeeping records are
kept to record each and
every transaction and
available to municipal
inspectors. What happens
in the privacy of the
rented room is not
illegal as long as it is
between consenting
adults. Some locations
offer their clients more
than a room, but
showers, sauna, steam
room and lounges.
In Costa Rica
prostitution is not
illegal, but "
proxenetismo" (pimping)
is.
In the case of massage
parlours, investigators
have to prove that the
operators are promoting
prostitution or
benefiting economically
from the earnings of
prostitution. |
