Possible case against former president Oscar Arias “remains pending”

April 17th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The Public Ministry reported that a possible case against former president, Oscar Arias, “remains pending,” after the ministry received financial evidence from Canada a little over two months ago, in relation to a $200,000 donation received by the former president’s Arias Foundation in 2008, days before he declared the Crucitas open-pit gold mine “of national interest.”

The information comes after local media questioned prosecutors regarding the possible case against Arias following the preliminary hearing on Monday on charges that have been brought against the former Minister of Environment, Roberto Dobles, and six staff members of the Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA).

Prosecutors responded that the evidence received from Canada surrounding the donation is still “being translated and analyzed.”

Authorities hope to determine if the $200,000 donation received by Arias for his Arias Foundation for Peace and Progress in 2008 while still president was indeed donated by the company Industrias Infinito, a subsidiary of Canada-based Infinito Gold.  Arias had declared the open-pit gold mine to be of “national interest,” days after the donation.

Infinito Gold threatened Costa Rica with a $1 billion suit earlier this month, if the company is not allowed to resume work at the controversial mine.

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