ICE
President Accused Of Graft and Embezzlement
By Fiscalía
The use of helicopters and airplanes by
public officials for private use is hitting
a new time high, with the Fiscalía filing
charges against the president of the
Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad
(ICE), Pedro Pablo Quirós, for using state
funds to pay a helicopter for personal use.
Quirós is accused of taking a helicopter,
paid for by ICE, to attend a party and
attending a meeting, when the trip was for
the sole purpose of evaluating damages
caused to the ICE infrastructure during the
Cinchona earthquake of January 8.
According to the charges filed by the
Ministerio Público, Quirós is accused of "peculado"
and "malversación" (graft and embezzlement)
in the detriment of the duties of public
office and ICE.
Last Sunday, Maureen Ballestero, legislator
and vice-president of the Asemblea
Legislativa, came under fire for the use of
a airplane by the Ministerio de Seguridad to
pick up her passport and attending a Partido
Liberación Nacional (PLN) party meeting in
Guanacaste.
Ballestero, unlike Quirós, has apologized
for her error in judgement and has accepted
to reimburse the state the costs of her
indiscretion.
The legislator explained that she noticed
Saturday that she had left behind her
passport behind in Guanacaste while she was
readying for her trip Sunday at noon,
calling on the vice-ministro de Seguridad
for the use of the Fuerza Pública (police)
airplane and while she was in Guanacaste
decided to meet with PLN party leaders while
in a meeting to elect candidates for the
upcoming elections.
The Fiscalía has said it intends to file
charges against Ballestero, but has yet to
do do.
Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, has also
come under investigation during his term for
the use of airplanes and state vehicles for
personal use.
The ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias (Oscar's brother), explained that in
the case of the president he is on call 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, and is normal to
use state transport for his personal use, to
maintain an image and in many cases to save
time.
In addition, minister Rodrigo, said the
president is the chief and commander of the
Fuerza Pública and its fleet of airplanes
and helicopters.
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Pedro Pablo Quirós, president of ICE, faces charges of graft and embezzlement for the use of a helicopter, paid for by ICE, for personal use.
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