Bomb Threat Against Casa Alianza in the Case of
Father Vázquez
The staff of Casa Alianza in Costa Rica began the week
with a bomb threat left by an unidentified man on the organization’s
answering machine.
Casa Alianza´s Legal Aid team had been in Orotina since last
Thursday carrying out interviews with more than a half dozen alleged
victims of Priest Enrique Vásquez.
They interviewed the victims and the residents of the area and, in
hopes of receiving more information, proceeded to post photographs
of Vásquez with the inscription “Wanted” along with the telephone
numbers of Casa Alianza and INTERPOL.
Casa Alianza received several anonymous calls indicating, that there
were victims of sexual abuse, supposedly committed by Priest Enrique
Vásquez, not only in San Carlos but also in Orotina.
“We were able to prove that Vásquez was in Orotina for a period of
approximately two years. Information about other cases of abuse
involving the priest´s altar boys is beginning to surface.
The victims are now considering to exercise their right to file a
complaint,” explained Rocío Rodríguez, coordinator for Casa
Alianza´s Legal Aid Program in Costa Rica.
Casa Alianza presented a formal complaint to the national
authorities concerning the received threats. The organization is
concerned by the apparent cover-up by the Catholic Church on behalf
of Priest Enrique Vásquez.
The Honduran Catholic church says that Vásquez was received in the
neighboring country with a note from the Costa Rican Catholic
Church. Moreover, Bishop Sancasimiro has admitted to helping Vásquez,
and if he is helping him, he knows where he is.
That is the reason why Casa Alianza respectfully asks the Justice
Department to require the Bishop to provide information about where
the aid was sent and when. The Justice Department should also ask to
provide a list of phone calls made to and from the Diocese of the
city of Quesada.
“This is not the first time we have received threats and it will not
stop us. We at Casa Alianza will continue the fight to defend the
rights of children. Those who abuse children, whatever they are
called and whichever religion they embrace, must be prosecuted under
the law. We will continue fighting and no one will silence us. Only
a coward would make that kind of anonymous threat. Perhaps these are
the same cowards who flee, those who refuse to face justice,”
concluded Rodríguez.
Leak is Suspected in Father Vázquez Avoiding
Capture
Coincidence? or diving intervention? You decide.
In 1998, Catholic church priest Enrique Vázquez is accused for the
first time with abuse. 24 hours following the charge, the father
fled Costa Rica.
A few weeks ago, the prosecutor's office in San Carlos, got word
that the priest was seen in the community of Guinope, in Honduras.
However, the priest, against fled days before INTERPOL agents
reached the community.
Casa Alianza is insisting that the father is being tipped off from
someone on the inside, as the priest makes his escape each time
police are getting close, while the number of abused keeps on
growing.
According to the latest information, the priest is hiding our in
Nicaragua, where church authorities have been rumoured to have let
the priest know that he will get help, recommending he get in touch
with San Casimiro.
It appears that the fugitive father Vázquez is good at guessing
where the police are looking for him and/or getting close.
At Hartsfield-Jackson
International Airport, Anna and
Fayette Sims rest after arriving
from Costa Rica on Wednesday.
Fayette's father is charged with
parental kidnapping. [Foto:
Johnny Crawford/AJC ]
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Mom, Son Make up for Lost Time
By HENRY FARBER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It's Christmas in July for Anna Sims and her 5-year-old son, now
that the two have reunited and returned from Costa Rica in the
latest chapter of an international custody drama.
At her Alpharetta, Georgia, home Wednesday, Sims gave her son,
nicknamed Mula, holiday gifts wrapped six months ago.
He was taken to the Costa Rica in April 2003 by his father, Dr.
Fayette A. Sims III, a once-prominent Lawrenceville physician who is
now in a Costa Rican jail on a charge of parental kidnapping.
Wednesday afternoon at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the
29-year-old mother said she had feared the boy had been
"brainwashed" to hate her, based on comments from welfare workers.
"But I knew the moment he saw me it was all right," she said. "He
said, 'Mama, you're here!' He began to cry. I said 'You don't have
to cry. Mama's here.' "
Fayette A. Sims IV didn't talk to strangers as his mother held him.
His blue eyes mirrored those of his Ukrainian-born mother.
Mother and son also have nearly identical blond hair, but the boy's
hair was dyed black while he was missing, apparently so he would not
stand out among his dark-haired classmates in Costa Rica.
The father was scheduled this week to be served with divorce papers
filed in September, said Bob Marshall, attorney for Anna Sims.
Sims and Marshall have spent most of the past week working with the
Costa Rican court and welfare system to return the boy.
Authorities in Costa Rica have been cooperative and sensitive to the
child's needs since the father was arrested June 29, Marshall said.
Costa Rican courts are processing U.S. officials' extradition
request. Justice Department officials did not know how long it might
take to return the father.
Fayette Sims, 56, took his son on what he said would be a brief
vacation. Anna Sims was last allowed to visit the boy eight months
ago.
The mother and son's first stop Wednesday was Perimeter Church on
Medlock Bridge Road, which had granted a day camp scholarship to her
8-year-old son from a previous marriage.
Then the two boys went home for a belated Christmas reunion.
COPA AMERICA:
Costa Rica Plays Paraguay Today
Costa Rica enters the Copa America hoping to rebound from its nearly
disastrous performance in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Led by American coach Steve Sampson at the time, Costa Rica played
Cuba to disappointing 2-2 and 1-1 draws, advancing only on a
technicality – most goals as a visitor.
Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto replaced Sampson at the helm, but had
little more than two weeks on the job to prepare the Costa Ricans.
Costa Rica, missing top stars Paulo Wanchope and Gilberto Martinez,
will rely on the experience of defender Luis Marin.
Marin, who turns 30 during the Copa America tournament, was likely
to earn his 100th cap in his third game in Peru.
Pinto said the Copa America will serve as high-level training for
the next World Cup qualifying round against Honduras, starting on
Aug. 18.
"There's no doubt that we're short of time, but I'm committed to
this cause and I come with full commitment to making Costa Rica a
competitive team that goes to the World Cup," Pinto said.
Kickoff is at the Universidad Nacional San Agustin Stadium is at
5:30 p.m,
 News
Briefs
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Family and friends of journalist Parmenio Medina commemorated the third
anniversary of the murder of the man, who was gunned down in front of his
home on the 7th of July 2001. Medina was 62 years old at the time of his
death. Three years later, 10 are suspected of having been involved in the
murder and are currently in jail awaiting trial, that includes the high
profile priest Minor Calvo. The prosecutor's office believes it will need
about one more year before it can complete it's investigation and bring the
accused to trial.
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Agents of the Centro de Información de la Fuerza Pública (CIFP) confiscated
some ¢100 Million colones worth of clothing products that were labeled with
false brand named tags. Police worked during six months to uncover the
operation that manufactured the goods in Costa Rica for the local and
foreign markets. Brand names that were being falsified included,
Quicksilver, Roxy and Levis.
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