Cherlyn Tomayko Given
Refugee Status; US
Annoyed By Decision
Cherlyn Tomayko, the
woman arrested by the
International Police
(INTERPOL) and currently
in detention in the
women's prison, El Buen
Pastor, for kidnapping
her children, was given
refugee status in Costa
Rica, ending her battle
for freedom.
The announcement was
made by the ministra de
Seguridad Pública,
Janina Del Vecchio,
saying that the granting
of refugee status was
based on merits of the
case and nothing
negative was considered
or would be considered
against the US.
The United States
expressed annoyance at
the decision announced
by Del Vecchio shortly
after 3pm yesterday. The
US annoyance was such
that the US Embassy in
San José has suspend the
official donation of a
airplane to the
Ministerio de Seguridad,
which was programmed for
today.
Costa Rican president,
Oscar Arias, defended
his government's
decision.
"The government does not
have to consult other
governments for
decisions that our ours.
This is a subject of
human rights and we have
always protected people
who have had their
rights threathened",
said Arias.
Del Vecchio added that
the decision was one to
be made by Costa Rica
and that every decision
has its consequences. "I
believe and hope that
(the decision) does not
affect the relations
between the two
countries", said Del
Vecchio.
Evelyn Ardón, press
officer at the US
Embassy in San José said
yesterday that Embassy
officials may make a
statement about the case
today.
Del Vecchio confirmed
the suspension of
today's activity, saying
that she received a call
from a "high ranking"
Embassy official, though
she did not identify the
caller, that Embassy
officials would be "busy
doing other things".
Tomayko fled the US with
her two daughters
alleging domestic
violence, entering Costa
Rica illegally in 1997.
Her ex-husband, Roger
Cyprian, accused her of
kidnapping.
Tomayko made herself a
new life in Costa Rica,
marrying Costa Rican,
Javier Montero. The
couple had two children,
worked as an English
teacher and became a
naturalized Costa Rican.
The head of the Defensa
Pública, Marta Iris
Muñoz, yesterday made a
request for the
immediate release of the
woman, following being
granted refugee status.
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